


Surprise!

by Calyx_Lytsong



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Boys Kissing, Commitment, Declarations Of Love, Drunken Shenanigans, European Circuit, F/M, Fluff, Humor, I have a beta Miguel is not dead (No really he's in chapter 18), Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Makeover, PSYqualia (Cardfight!! Vanguard), Sharing a Bed, Sorting things out, Spring Break, Sweet, University, Valentine’s Day, holidays with kaichi, promise rings, set during G-era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:08:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 33,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28219002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calyx_Lytsong/pseuds/Calyx_Lytsong
Summary: After going their separate ways for the past year and a half,  Kai pays Aichi a surprise visit at his university in America. Hijinks ensue. Relationships get rolling.  Confidants get added.  It takes a village. A series of chapters on the beginning of Kaichi's relationship.  (And apparently middle, I can't seem to stop.)(Don't be daunted by the size of this thing.  Pick a chapter, they're short & titled. 1500-ish words. )Kudos and Comments so appreciated!
Relationships: Kai Toshiki/Sendou Aichi, Katsuragi Kamui/Sendou Emi, Miwa Taishi/Tokura Misaki, Olivier Gaillard & Kai Toshiki
Comments: 116
Kudos: 63





	1. Kai pays Aichi a surprise visit

Aichi opened his eyes and squinted out at the world. He groaned softly at the bright light streaming through the window of his dorm room and quickly shut them again. What a headache he had!! He drowsily ran through a mental assessment. He was pretty sure it was Saturday because he remembered taking his biology final yesterday morning. "Okay, no hurry then," he thought fuzzily as he settled back down, snuggling into the covers. The air in his room was freezing, but his back was like a furnace, and the arm wrapped securely around his chest was a warm, solid band of contentment. 

"WAIT! WHAT??!!" Aichi thought in panic. "Who… what... WHAT?!"

His eyes shot open in alarm, but he stayed still as he tried desperately to remember how he had gotten into a situation where a body was firmly pressed against him in his bed.

The window was open a crack, letting in a stream of chilly November air which explained the cold room. Underneath it was his laundry bag, which looked to be sopping wet, sitting in water that was more of a pool than a puddle.

His eyes roved over his dresser. His card deck looked intact and dry, thankfully, but there was a second deck next to it. "Okay", he thought frantically, "A card player. I must know who this is, then. I don't know if that's better or worse!" His Blaster Blade figurine stood guard over the rest of his paladins, as always, next to his framed Team Q4 picture. His keys and wallet next to that, where they should be. Two cardboard take-out coffee cups, where there normally were none.

Then on to a slightly familiar duffle bag on the floor, and draped on the back of his desk chair, a VERY familiar tan and brown jacket... TOSHIKI KAI??!! WHAT!? "Am I dreaming? No, I'm definitely awake. Fuzzy, headachy, but awake. Why can't I remember?" Aichi's thoughts frantically darted around trying to grasp the elusive answers.

"Aichi," drawled a familiar voice from behind him. "I know you're awake, I can hear you thinking... and blushing."

"Kai-Kun! Ah..." Aichi's voice squeaked up an octave and trailed off. "What...?" He shot up to a sitting position, then dove back down under the blankets when he realized he was naked.

Kai heaved a sigh behind him as his arm was knocked away. "So... I'm guessing you don't remember anything?"

"N-n-no?" Aichi squeaked.

"Well, turn around while I explain it. It's weird talking to the back of your head."

Aichi slowly rolled over while scooting all the way back to his edge of the bed, leaving just his head peeking out. He knew his face was burning redder than it ever had before. Kai looked like… Kai. Hair squashed a bit on one side from sleeping, propped up on one naked arm (?!?) green eyes boring into Aichi's blue ones with as much intensity as ever, but maybe with a good deal more humor… or even warmth?

"Aichi. Don't panic. Everything's okay." Kai said, one corner of his mouth quirked up ever so slightly. "You remember that the European Circuit was going on an abbreviated world tour sponsored by the Promotion League? And last time we talked we joked that maybe I could finally visit? Well, Philadelphia got canceled, so I hopped a bus and wanted to surprise you... 

“...Surprise!"

Aichi tried to parse what Kai was saying, but couldn't really get past staring at Kai's naked arm in his befuddled state. Had he ever in all of their years as friends and rivals seen this much of Kai's skin? He didn't think so. It was… magnetic.

Aichi cleared his throat. Focus. "Ah, okay. But why can't I remember? And how did we end up like this?" He winced as his voice cracked again.

"Well, the RA guy in the dorm room next to yours ... Ralph?...recognized me and let me in." Kai shrugged self-consciously. He loved playing Vanguard more than anyone, really let himself go wild while playing, but never had gotten comfortable with the fame it brought him. "Anyway, I dropped my bag off, and he told me he thought you were at a post-finals party with some of your friends. He gave me the address."

Aichi said, "Ah, yeah, I remember going to the party. I mean they aren't really good friends, not like you guys were to me. But I've been feeling lately like I should try harder..."

his voice broke as he trailed off.

Kai looked at him with a softening expression Aichi had never seen before, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, you haven't really sounded happy lately, the few times we've spoken. That's one reason I came to check on you.

"Anyway. I got to the party and your 'friends' were having a real laugh. Seems they spiked the punch and didn't bother telling you. Apparently, you never drink alcohol?"

"Oh! No… I... don't. Is that what's wrong with me?"

"Yeah,” Kai said. “You were standing on a coffee table brandishing a curtain rod, yelling, ‘Warrior wrapped in scorching heat, bring order to this battlefield with your explosive flames! I ride, Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel!’ and everybody was dying laughing. I got there just in time to catch you before you fell off.” He smirked. "My timing hasn't always been great in regards to you, but I finally got it right."

"Ooooohhhhh noooooo," Aichi said, pulling the blankets up to completely cover his head. "At least it was the last day of lectures so I won't have to see those guys again" he said, voice muffled.

Kai chuckled. "Yeah, something to see! Anyway, I grabbed your deck and keys and got you out of there. I tried to bring you back but you insisted you had to stop at the laundromat to pick up your clothes on the way home. Apparently you meant to just duck into the party while they dried, but you met the punch bowl and called your vanguard, and time got away from you."

Aichi peeked back out of the covers at Kai. He had never been more embarrassed in his life, and that was saying something! He thought to himself that he had never seen Kai so relaxed, or heard him talk so much about anything other than Vanguard at one time. Was this just the new Kai? He hadn't seen him in over half a year. Or did it have something to do with being back with Aichi…? He bit his lip. Kai's eyes darkened as he watched him.

"Anyway, we picked up your clothes and walked back. You insisted on carrying your laundry bag, even though I offered. Apparently, everything you own is in there. You were giggling and started walking on the rim of the fountain at the student plaza, and fell in." Kai shook his head in mock disgust and huffed out a laughing breath, saying to himself "Of course you fell in." His eyes rose and blazed into Aichi's. “So I fished you out, and bought us some hot coffee, and brought you back here." 

Kai rolled out of his side of the bed. Aichi's eyes squeezed shut in alarm. He heard Kai pad over to the window and slide it shut. "You wanted the window open because you were dizzy. You didn't have any dry clothes left in your dorm except these towels, so I wrapped you up and put you to bed." 

Aichi cautiously opened one eye to see Kai standing directly in front of him, one of Kourin's green eyes peering accusingly at him from the Ultra-Rare beach towel around Kai's lean hips. He shut it quickly again in horror.

"You have a Card Capital promotional towel on under there." Kai said. There was a rustling sound. "Or... did." Aichi's eyes shot back open in mortification. Kai had knelt next to the bed and his green gaze bored into Aichi's.

"Ah… anything else happen? Anything else I should know?"

"Heh,” Kai laugh-sighed. "Nothing happened."

Aichi breathed out a ...disappointed?... sigh. Then Kai lowered his head until— shockingly!!— his lips almost met Aichi's.

He said, "But you do talk in your sleep, Aichi. I know how you feel about me. And do you really think of me as your Overlord?" as he closed the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you are coming from the mobile game or the reboot, but IF YOU HAVEN"T WATCHED THE OG ANIME< YOU'RE MISSING EVERYTHING!!!!
> 
> Copy paste this youtube link to watch. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZaz0lCoygozixdwhvvoVhGKgn2xlYQrO
> 
> I promise you will not be sorry. The OG show makes a lot of the fics on here sooooo much better.  
> 


	2. Happy Thanksgiving, Kai x Aichi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai and Aichi celebrate an American Thanksgiving for the first time.

Aichi hurried through the cold to get to the only grocery store near to campus before it closed. It was the day before Thanksgiving, and he was shopping for his very first American Thanksgiving dinner. He thought back to the conversation he had with Kai before he had left two weekends ago. The glorious, scary, surprising weekend where they finally admitted they had feelings for each other (Aichi somewhat inadvertently). 

_“When do you have free time again, Kai-kun?” Aichi had looked away blushing._

_Kai hooked his pinky together with Aichi’s and pulled him a step closer._ _"Ah, Aichi, I’m very encouraged you’re already thinking of next time,” Kai said with a soft smile. “Well, our tour is taking a break for the Thanksgiving holiday in less than two weeks. I don't know anything about the holiday, except that there’s a lot of eating? We’re just hanging around the hotel until leaving on Monday…”_

_“Can you make it back here?” Aichi asked with his head down, “I’ll be one of the few people left on campus, m… maybe we could try to make an American Thanksgiving in the dorm kitchen?”_

_“I would love to cook for you,” Kai put a finger under Aichi’s chin, and lifted it to look into Aichi’s red face. “Just Google some simple recipes and pick up the ingredients, and I'll catch a late bus from New York Wednesday night....”_

Aichi did the best he could, picking up the things on his list, as well as a pumpkin pie and a can of whipped cream. He wasn’t familiar with a lot of the food and hoped it would be okay. He passed under the North Street bridge and noticed a thin dog shaking in the cold. “Aw, poor guy,” Aichi said. He put down his bags, and undid the plastic on the heat-and-eat rolls, pulling two off and throwing them toward the mutt before tying it back up and heading back to the dorm.

As he fumbled with his keys at the door a few minutes later, he noticed the dog had followed him, and laid down under a nearby tree, staring in his direction. He shook his head and carried his bags upstairs to the shared dorm kitchen.

A few hours later, a newly arrived, tired looking Kai was sorting through the ingredients and reading the few recipes Aichi had printed out. “Ooooh I like the looks of this ‘stuffing’ one, it's got a bunch of onions in it,” and “Good Lord, Aichi, why did you get such a big turkey? There’s only two of us!”

“Can’t help it, Kai-kun, it was the smallest fresh one they had left. I guess 12 pounds is small for a turkey. You’ve been here long enough to know everything’s big in America.” He said with a coy smile.

Kai shot him an amused look with a raised brow. “Sendou Aichi. Did you just tell a crude joke?”

“What? Of course not, Kai-kun, who do you take me for?” Aichi laughed. “Honestly… I’m just so glad that you’re here.”

“Me too,” Kai said. “But you’d better let me shower and call it a night if you want this feast cooked tomorrow.”

The next afternoon, they sat down at a battered table for two in a corner of the kitchen. They turned the overhead light off. Aichi had found a half-burned apple cinnamon jar candle for ambiance, as well as a small potted mum from the entry hall he borrowed for the occasion.

Kai had brought a bottle of wine, but Aichi didn’t really want to drink after how he acted last time he had alcohol, so they put it aside in favor of the cranberry ginger ale. They toasted with it in festive orange plastic cups.

“Thank you for this wonderful food, Kai,” Aichi said, bowing his head deeply, then looking up and grinning, “To an American Thanksgiving!”

Kai held his cup up, holding Aichi’s eyes in a deep gaze. He said, “To an American Thanksgiving. May this be the first of many meals together,” then drank.

Aichi, predictably blushing madly, grinned wider and did as well.

They ate until they were stuffed. Both enjoyed the turkey. Aichi praised the stuffing, which he had never eaten before. Kai lamented the lack of various spices, and said, “Next time I can do better.” Both of them poked at the jellied cranberry sauce dubiously and wondered aloud at why Americans liked it.  
Kai questioned why two of the rolls were missing, and Aichi explained about the dog. “Ugh, you’re too soft for your own good, you know,” Kai grumbled. “I think he was still out there when I came in.”

The pumpkin pie was a split decision. Kai thought it was good after putting a tiny line of whipped cream down the center of his piece. Aichi thought it was just edible after cutting a sliver that he buried in an avalanche of cream. “Now you’ve gotten it all over yourself,” Kai smirked. He swept a finger over the corner of Aichi’s mouth and popped a dollop of cream into his mouth as Aichi squirmed. “C’mon let’s clean up, I’m ready to settle into a food coma.”

Half an hour later, both could be found settled against Aichi’s small headboard, relaxed and watching the Westminster Dog Show. Aichi yawned, and Kai opened his arms. “Come here sleepyhead,” He said, pulling Aichi’s head down to rest on his shoulder. Aichi tensed up immediately. “Just relax, we’ve got the whole weekend.”

Aichi settled in with a sigh, and mumbled, “I wonder what kind of dog that stray is?”

“Just a mangy mutt, probably,” Kai gave a lopsided shrug, “It's a stray that will find its way just fine,” as Aichi slid into sleep.

Aichi woke sometime later, and noticed the sun was going down. He patted the other side of the bed. It was still warm with body heat, but there was no Kai to be found. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and went in search. No Kai in the bedroom, no Kai in the bathroom, no Kai in the kitchen, but the turkey carcass was out on the table and uncovered. Aichi padded barefoot back into his room and looked out the window. The stray was still under the tree, now with his Card Capital promotional beach towel draped over it, eating a paper plate full of turkey.

Aichi turned as his door opened. Kai caught him looking out the window and frowned. He lifted a hand, said “I don’t want to hear it!” and closed his eyes. Aichi walked to him and shyly took his hand, bringing it down and kissing the back.

“Kai-kun are you helping another stray ‘find its way?'” he said, with huge shining eyes. Kai growled and leaned down to take Aichi’s lips in a gentle kiss.

“You were never a stray to me.”


	3. Misaki’s Monday Morning Breakfast Catch-Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misaki performs her weekly check-in with Aichi over the phone.

Aichi looked up from his homework at his wall clock. It was almost eight o’clock, which meant Misaki would be calling soon, as she did every Sunday night (she called it their Monday Morning Breakfast Catch-Up, since she was 14 hours ahead in Japan). She said it was her favorite way to start her week, because she’d have updated Sendou news for Shin and all of their friends stopping in at Card Capital during the week.

“Heh,” Aichi let out a brief laugh. There wasn’t usually that much difference in his news week to week, and he certainly wasn’t going to tell her that Toshiki Kai had just left this morning from their ‘American Thanksgiving’ weekend. Not to mention that it was the second weekend Kai had stayed over this month! Not to mention that meant sharing his small dorm bed! Aichi squirmed in something between ecstasy and agony at the thought of it, face flaming. He still had trouble believing what he had secretly long dreamed about was finally becoming a reality, especially now when Kai was gone. He stared off into space, pen between his lips, reliving some of the past days.

The phone rang.

“H-Hi...hello. Hi” he stammered.

 _“Aichi! How are you? Why so nervous?”_ Misaki asked in an overly bright voice.

“Oh, uh...hi Misaki! Nothing. I’m great, how are you?”

_“I’m, um, actually great, too. Aichi. I had some really interesting news just before calling you! Do you want to hear?”_

Aichi’s heart skipped a beat. She could not POSSIBLY know. He would DIE.  
“Sh-sure. What’s up?”

 _“I heeaarrrd,”_ She said, drawing it out, then super fast: _“That Kai just left your place after spending, like FOUR DAYS with you, and that it was the SECOND TIME this month, and that you haven’t said A WORD to me about it! Oh My GOD, Aichi, really? Or is it just Miwa being Miwa? I can usually tell when he’s being a dick, but he sounds excited like it's true! He said he couldn’t get a hold of Kai for 3 days and finally got him on the way back to his hotel on some bus. When would Toshiki Kai ever lower himself to ride a BUS? Is it true? Oh, tell me the truth, and swear on your deck it’s true.”_

Aichi sat in stunned silence. Dammit. Forgot about Miwa always sticking his head in, stirring up the waters with utter glee. He thought he would have some time to savor his little secret. Apparently, Kai didn’t feel the same way, though. How confusing, Kai was the MOST private person Aichi had ever known. He knew Kai and Miwa went way back, were as close as brothers, but still….why tell?

_“Aichi Sendou, you answer me! You know I’m like your big sister and one person who is always, always on your side. I’m sure you need someone to talk to, someone who’s been through stuff with you. Do you have anybody close there to talk to?_

That simple statement of truth snapped Aichi out of his shock. She was right. Misaki had never wavered, and they had grown closer through the years. “Yeah, Misaki. It’s true. You can understand why I didn’t exactly blurt it out, though. I’m still trying to process what’s happening.”  
He gave her a somewhat abbreviated version of events of the past month.

There was silence for a moment when he was done. Then a soft exclamation _“By the grace of Ameratsu, I never thought to see the day…”_ Then louder, _“Well, Aichi, I hope you two are, uh, being safe. I mean, I know you’re adults and all, but…”_

“MISAKI!” Aichi yelled into the phone “Stop! We’re not….we didn’t….. Ugh, we are taking things slow! Kissing and cuddling, and….” he trailed off and groaned in absolute mortification. Had he EVER been this embarrassed? No, he was definitely reaching new heights lately.

 _“Ok. Great. That’s good. At least Kai has some sense after all.”_ Misaki muttered to herself.

“Uh, Misaki?” Aichi broke in, “You guys aren’t going to tell everyone are you? I don’t think I could handle that. Not now. Maybe not ever?”

 _“Of course not!”_ Misaki exclaimed. _“It stays between the two of us, I promise. Or the four of us, I guess.”_

“How are you going to stop Miwa? He doesn’t know how to keep a secret!” Aichi wailed in despair.

 _“Already took care of it, Aichi. I gave him something he’s wanted for a while now. With maybe a bit more to come. Anyway, he won’t be telling a soul.”_ Now Misaki sounded a bit mortified. Aichi had all the embarrassment he could handle for a day, he wasn’t going to press for details.

_“Anyway, Aichi, did you get that package I sent you? It should have made it there this week.”_

“Oh, yes, I did. A bottle of expensive-looking cologne?” Aichi sounded confused. “But it’s not my birthday.”

_“Consider it a Christmas present. For Toshiki Kai. The last time he was home, he and Miwa had a day at the mall, and Miwa said Kai REALLY liked that cologne. So he went back and bought it later, for ‘Project Kaichi.”_

“I’m supposed to give it to Kai for Christmas? And ...Project…..Kaichi?” Aichi squeaked, “What does that even mean?”

 _“Don’t worry about it!”_ Misaki said with glee. _“Ask Miwa when you see him. You ARE still coming home for winter break?”_

“Yes, I have almost three weeks, so I’m using some of my leftover tournament money to fly home. I’ll be with my family on Christmas, then come by the day after to the shop to see….you know, everyone.” Aichi said nervously.

 _“Good. That cologne is not to GIVE to Kai, it’s FOR Kai if you know what I mean, so make sure you’re wearing it when you see him, okay? Let me know how things...develop.”_ She giggled happily.

“Oh, Misaki. You and Miwa together are dangerous.”

_“I sure hope so, ‘little brother’. Maybe I’ll have some stories for YOU soon.”_

They finished their conversation and hung up, both happy. The holidays were shaping up to be very merry, indeed.


	4. Aichi, Put Down that Bottle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aichi gets into the wine and drunkenly calls Kai to talk feelings. Kai sets him straight. Gaillard finds it all funny.

Kai and Gaillard were having a leisurely breakfast in their studio apartment back in France the next Saturday morning, the American promotional tour having ended. Gaillard had gone out for coffee and croissants earlier, Kai’s chocolate, and his plain, (true Frenchman style). They were both half-watching the news.

Kai’s phone rang. He threw a lazy sideways glance at Gaillard. “Toss me that, would you?” 

Gaillard picked it up from the coffee table and glanced at it. His face lit up. “Hey, it’s Aichi!” He hit the button to answer the call, and happily said, “Hey, Aichi! Mon Ami, how are you?” Kai sat up a bit and waved his fingers, asking wordlessly for his phone.

“Yes! Of course, you didn’t wake us up, we are men of industry, not leisure!” Gaillard laughed into the phone. “Yes...No….ummmm.” There was a pause of thirty seconds or so, while Gaillard just listened. He looked a little alarmed over at Kai, who sat up straighter. “Aichi….you haven’t been drinking have you?” Gaillard asked. 

Gaillard jumped up and hopped away over the table in the same moment that Kai’s eyes widened and he shot up, lunging at Gaillard for his phone. Gaillard gleefully grinned as he held the phone up and away, while yelling “Way to go, mon ami, broaden your horizons! Last time you got drunk you caught Kai, now who knows what you can upgrade to!” He collapsed to the floor with hilarity as Kai caught up to him, thwapped the back of his head, and grabbed the phone out of his hand.

“Aichi,” Kai said, low and focused into his phone. “Where are you? Okay. Good.” He sighed in exasperation. “Why…?” He listened intently for a minute. “Listen to me. I’m glad you want to talk about our relationship, but I’m not glad you feel like getting half drunk is the only way you can get through it. I don’t want to set that precedent, I want to do this right.” He paced around the room, ignoring Gaillard who was sitting on the floor, rapt with attention, arms wrapped around his knees with a grin on his face. “Are you listening? Alright, you are to make a strong cup of tea. Not that chamomile shit you like, use my Earl Grey. Then take it into the bathroom, and take a bath, not too hot.” He listened for a moment. “I don’t care if the dorm bathtub is gross. Sober up, think about what you want to talk about, and I will call you in an hour. You with me?”

After a moment he sighed, said, “Okay. Talk to you soon,” and ended the call.

Kai closed his eyes, tilted his head up toward the ceiling and let out a long shaky sigh as he ran both hands through his disheveled hair. He opened them and looked at Gaillard. “He drank half the bottle of the wine you made me take for Thanksgiving that we never got around to opening.”

Gaillard got off the floor and sat on the couch, leaning his chin on one fist on the armrest. “Well, you handled that extremely well, Kai. I am proud of you. Do not be too hard on him. You have had a year and a half of waiting and hoping for Aichi to get around to admitting his feelings for you. You know what you want. Aichi has JUST realized he can have what he has always wanted. You are going to have to give him whatever time he needs to process.”

“I know”, Kai said. “But regardless, I’m going to need you to go for a long walk.”

\----------

An hour or so later, Kai got comfortable stretched out on his bed, and made the call.

Aichi answered on the first ring, and softly said “Hi, Kai-kun. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Aichi. I actually do understand. But even if it’s awkward, we need to be able to talk to each other if we want this to go anywhere. I’m sure it will get easier. And while I appreciate you need to let loose a little, can you just wait till we’re together? I’d like to keep an eye on you next time you want to try drinking.”

“Okay, Kai-kun. It’s just….this happened kind of fast. I’m great when we’re together, and then when you’re gone, I...I just start thinking too hard.”

“Aichi, this was the SLOWEST start to a relationship ever.” Kai huffed out a laugh. “I mean when did you know...really know that you liked me?”

Kai could hear the intense embarrassment in Aichi’s voice as he responded. “Well….I guess from the first cardfight we had. And you got me back Blaster Blade. I didn’t know what my emotions were exactly, but I knew on some level that you were my person, you know? And you always would be. I felt like from that time, I was always chasing you, trying to get you to SEE me. It was my whole focus for years…” he trailed off.

“Well, I’m sorry I tried so hard for so long to fight it.” Kai responded. “It was hard for me to realize that I had feelings for another guy. I think I did once before, for Ren when we were younger, but I didn’t quite recognize my feelings for what they were. Then when I was attracted to you, it made me angry, and I just thought pushing you away would make the feelings go away. It didn’t work, which made me act even colder to you and everyone around me.”

“Then...then how did you finally come to accept it?” Aichi asked quietly. “That’s the part I guess I’m having a hard time understanding. I had given up on the idea of us being together a long time ago. I thought after the shard thing, when you came after me on the moon, maybe…..but you never said anything.”

“Aichi, it was ‘the shard thing’ that made me resolve to make this work. I mean, I was the only person who remembered you. Not the team, not your family, just me? I thought the universe couldn’t be any clearer that we were supposed to be together, that we were soulmates. It took time. I had to give up my guilt from Link Joker, I had to give up my regret at all the time I wasted. I resolved that I would try to make myself into the person you needed, be it friends or lovers. Obviously, I’m hoping for lovers.” He said with a grin, as Aichi’s cheeks heated again.

Kai continued, “Also, you can partially credit Miwa for my change of heart, and for helping me finally lose my guilt. He was always at me even early on, with his stupid platitudes.”

“What do you mean?” Aichi asked, sounding much more relaxed and happy.

“Oh, we would be walking to Card Capital and out of the blue, he would say something like, ‘You know, Kai, everybody deserves to be loved, even if they’re not perfect. No one is perfect!’ and I’d say ‘What?’, and he’d say, ‘Do you want to get sushi or ramen for lunch later?’

“Or we’d be wandering around in the mall, and randomly, Miwa says ‘You know the first step in coming to terms when you do something wrong is forgiving yourself. Very important!’ and then, ‘Do you want to check out a movie while we’re here?’

“Or the stupid shit, like trying to get me to wear his mistletoe hat around you last Christmas, or always somehow making sure we were matched up whenever we were in groups. How could you not notice? He was such an ass, but I’d always go home to my empty apartment and think about the things he would say, really THINK about them, and about a possible future with you, Aichi.”

“I didn’t know people knew about….us. That our friends were rooting for us,” Aichi said.

“Well, you’d be surprised,” Kai said with another huff of laughter. “Some people, Gaillard for instance, reserved judgement until they were sure I only meant the best for you. I’m pretty sure it’s the reason he asked me to room with him. He was such a DICK to me in the beginning. A LOT of people love you Aichi, never doubt it.”

They talked for another hour or so, until Gaillard peeked his head back in around the door jamb, and offered a thumbs up sign, questioning if it was okay for him to come back in. Kai gave him a thumbs up and a smile in return.

“Alright, you have to go to bed, it’s super late for you.” Kai finally said. “But seriously, if you start overthinking again, you call me. I’ll always answer for you any time, unless I’m in a tournament. But you have my schedule.”

“All right, Kai. I’m glad we talked. I feel a lot better.”

“Sweet dreams, Aichi Sendou.”


	5. Card Capital’s Happy New Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Card Capital squad holds its New Years party at the shop.

It was New Years Eve, 7:30ish and Aichi was heading to Card Capital for their party. It was the kind of drop-in, drop-out party they had every now and then for the ‘core’ group, what they thought of as the CC ‘family’, and sometimes a guest or two that was brought into the fold. The front door would be locked, guests knew to sneak in the back for occasions like this. Aichi was a bit nervous, as this was the first time he’d be together with his friends with Kai as his official boyfriend. Not that many people knew. But they didn’t plan to hide it. He shivered in anticipation, and nervousness, with a side of joy thrown in. He was finally starting to get more comfortable with their relationship. 

Just two days ago his mother had asked if he wanted to bring Kai to dinner on New Years Day. Aichi had looked at her, completely thrown off guard with wide eyes. His mom’s eyes softened, and she said, “Aichi, I love you. And I know you’ve been happier this week than I’ve ever seen you. I’m guessing that it has something to do with the man you’ve spent two nights with this week. The one you are always talking and laughing into the phone with. Yes, I know when you sneak out. If you’re ready, bring him over for dinner. It’s okay.” Emi beamed at him from behind her.

Aichi had spent most of the week with his mother and sister, as they were both off on vacation, but he had slipped out Christmas night. Kai earned enough money on the Vanguard circuit to keep his tiny apartment here in Japan while he was away most of the year in France. He and Kai had exchanged gifts. Kai had given Aichi a scarf (“Kai! It’s the exact color of your eyes!” “Is it?” Kai drawled with a smirk), and a large super-soft stuffed Wingal plush. Kai had blushed uncharacteristically and said “So you have something to hug when you sleep instead of that extra pillow when I’m not there.” 

Aichi had given him a set of spices in a wood case, the kind that were used most often in American dishes, that Kai had lamented the lack of on Thanksgiving. And a copy of his dorm key on a Blaster Blade keychain. “Um, I don’t know if you ever will have the chance to use this” he said looking aside and blushing madly, “But if you ever make it back this year, you won’t have to sit around in the hall waiting for me. Or to find Ralph.” 

“Aichi…” breathed Kai, “this means a lot to me…” and dove in for a kiss. He pulled back when he got a whiff of the cologne that Aichi had remembered to use. 

Aichi almost turned purple with embarrassment as Kai studied his face. “Uh, the cologne was a gift. From Miwa and Misaki…” Kai's eyes darkened as he growled and drove Aichi backward into his small futon mattress for an intense make out session. They had fallen asleep cuddled together.

Now Aichi had arrived at Card Capital. He juggled the large shopping bag full of chips that he had brought as a contribution to the party, while opening the back door and slipping through the stockroom to the front of the store. He blinked, eyes adjusting to the bright light and taking in the crepe paper and balloons that Misaki and Shin were still hanging up. He had seen them both this past week, so both just called “Hi Aichi!” from where they were. 

Miwa approached and said “Hey Aichi! Long time no see!”, then yelped as Aichi dropped his bag and grabbed Miwa in a sudden fierce hug. “Um, glad to see you, too?” Miwa said while awkwardly patting Aichi on the back. 

Aichi pulled away, and said quietly “Thank you, Miwa. For everything. Kai told me that you…” 

“Aw Aichi.” Miwa said red-faced, cutting him off and running a hand through his hair, “Kai’s my best friend. And you are meant for each other. You always were. He just needed a little encouragement to act on it. Let’s just party!” 

Kai arrived soon after, bringing a towering masterpiece of a chocolate cake that looked too pretty to cut. He made his way over to Aichi, and played with the edge of Aichi’s new jade scarf. “You look good in green.” he said with satisfaction. He slipped something cold into Aichi’s hand. 

Aichi looked at it, and breathed, “Oh Kai” as he saw a key, understanding that it was to Kai’s apartment. 

“I want you to be able to come over to my place, too, whenever you want. Even if I’m away and you just want to hang out. I like thinking of you there.” He gave Aichi’s hand a squeeze.

As people started to arrive, there were happy reunions, a lot of eating and drinking, and catching up. There were a few cardfights. The store’s monitors all showed the television feed of idol groups performing and stars counting down to the New Year. Those who remembered them personally stopped and watched when Ultra Rare came on and clapped and screamed when they were done. Shin yelled “Shhhh, keep it down, guys!”

The out-of towners gaped when Morikawa came in with a girl! Izaki sidled over to Kai and Aichi and whispered, “She’s an excellent card fighter. Supposedly after a few games, she challenged him to a strip card fight. If he rebuilt his deck the right way, every time he pulled a grade one or two at the right time, she’d take something off. If he threw a three, she’d put something back on. I don’t know if it’s true, but his deck is finally balanced and he’s an amazing player now. They’ve been together for a month.”

“Sounds like fun…” Nearby Misaki bumped Miwa’s shoulder and raised her brows. They both kind of giggled and wandered into the stock room. Aichi kept one eye on it for the next while until Miwa emerged with a smear of lipstick on his cheek. The same color Misaki was wearing, if he wasn’t mistaken. Miwa caught his eye, and Aichi mimed wiping something off his face. Miwa winked at him, getting the hint and erasing the lipstick, then wandering over to the punch bowl looking a little dazed.

Misaki emerged a minute later, looking pleased with the world. Aichi went over to her and said “So, ah, are the two of you a thing, now too? How long has that been going on?” 

“Well, remember after your Thanksgiving when Miwa finally got a hold of Kai on the bus, and Kai spilled the beans about you two?”

“Oh. Yeah”, Aichi said, predictably blushing.

“Well, it was here at Card Capital. Miwa hung up the phone, threw both arms up and yelled ‘He did it! THEY did it! Project Kaichi is mission accomplished!’ I couldn’t help it. I reached across the counter, grabbed his shirt and hauled him in for a kiss. He ABSOLUTELY kissed me back.”

“...Wow. Just wow. Good for you Misaki. I guess that’s what you meant when you said you ‘gave him something he wanted for awhile now, with maybe a bit more to come’.” Aichi laughed.

Misaki blushed a bit and said “Well, we’d been circling around each other for a bit now. Not nearly as long as the two of you, but for long enough. We aren’t hiding it, but we are just taking it slow, too.” She gave Aichi a side armed hug. “I love you, ‘little brother’, now go mingle.”

Aichi hung out with Mai and his sister for a bit catching up on their Miyaji high school news. He noticed that Emi was shooting side glances every now and then at Kamui, who of course was stealing looks at her with his heart on his sleeve.

“You know, Emi, Kamui is a really great guy…”

“Aichi! Stop it.” Emi said “Everybody doesn’t have to pair up now, just because you’re in love!”

“Just saying...”, Aichi replied, “Maybe give him a chance?”

Emi looked speculative. “Well, I don’t need any help. Just mind your own relationship.”

Aichi took a few moments to check his phone. He sent Happy New Year’s texts and emojis to his friends in different places and time zones. Rati, Gaillard, Neve, Ralph, Leon, Chris, and some other school friends. He saw Kai watching him, and sent him a quick text with just three red hearts. Kai checked his phone after it buzzed, and put it back into his pocket. He smiled and flashed Aichi a heart symbol with his hands unobtrusively and quickly. Miwa, in the corner, caught the exchange, slapped both hands over his heart, and fell over backward with utter glee on his face.

Aichi wandered over to where Naoki and Shingo were goofing off, putting on the cardboard party hats, blowing the noisemakers, and eating everything in sight. They played a few rounds of Vanguard, casually, splitting the wins. “Uh, I’m going into a sugar coma…” Naoki said. “I’m gonna lie down.”

Just then there was a pounding on the front locked shop door. Akari, being closest to it, peered out and announced, “It's Ren Suzugamori, do I let him in?’ 

“Yes!” Half the room yelled.

Ren stepped in with a flourish as soon as the door opened. He was resplendent in maroon leather pants, a sequined silver blazer and a jaunty red and gold cardboard top hat.

“Happy New Year!” he yelled. He moved through the crowd, greeting people he knew, sometimes by the wrong name, and people that he didn’t. He wove over to where Aichi and Kai stood, throwing an arm loosely over each of their shoulders.

“Hello! Hello, friends.” They both threw his arm off and they stood talking and catching up for a bit. "Quite the outfit you've got there, by the way." Kai said. Ren gestured to himself "Fabulous. Right?" Kai and Aichi exchanged a glance filled with hilarity. 

Ren’s eyes narrowed and he looked back and forth between Aichi and Kai. He rubbed his chin and said “Something’s different.” He pointed at Kai “YOU are more talky and relaxed.” He pointed at Aichi and said “And YOU are less stuttery and blushy. Is there something you’d like to share?” 

Both looked back at him silently, Aichi with a bit of a blush, Kai with a bit of a smirk.

“Gah!” Ren yelled, throwing up his hands. “Keep your secrets, I’ll just use my imagination. I bet I’m not too far off, anyway.” He said, tapping his forehead, then pointing at them slyly. “I’m just here to say hello and eat whatever Kai brought to the party. Then I have to head back to HQ to watch the fireworks with Asteroid. Come Kai, take me to your food,” He grabbed Kai’s hand and led him away, looking back to wink at Aichi with a sincere smile.

An hour later, it was drawing close to midnight. The party had wound down. Some people had left to go downtown closer to the action. A few had fallen asleep on the padded benches.

“C’mon.” A voice said in Aichi’s ear “We’re going up to the roof for the fireworks.”

Aichi turned to see Misaki smiling at him, holding Miwa’s hand. The few remaining awake party goers went upstairs to Misaki and Shin’s apartment. “Don't mind the mess,” Misaki said, even though there wasn’t one. They filed out through the small terrace door and up the metal fire escape to the flat roof. They had a brilliant view of the cityscape.

Aichi looked around at his friends as he heard voices all around in the streets start the countdown to the New Year. He saw Shin, holding Sub Manager, drop a quick kiss onto the cat’s head, Misaki with her head on Miwa’s shoulder and his arm around her, Emi standing close to Kamui, with their fingers barely, hardly touching. His heart swelled having these people, HIS people around him. Kai’s warm hand enveloped his, and pulled him close, as the countdown reached one. Kai softly breathed “Happy New Year, Aichi Sendou,” and kissed him so gently, Aichi’s heart ached.

The fireworks exploded in glorious starbursts overhead. “Happy New Year, Toshiki Kai.”


	6. Bed Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai and Aichi go shopping. They run into Kamui and Emi.

Aichi snuggled further into his pillows, smiling. He was having the most delicious dream. In it, Kai was kissing that place under his ear that made him squirm, and “OW!” he yelped. What a way to wake up. He sat up indignantly to see Kai smiling at him, laying on one elbow. 

“You bit me!” Aichi exclaimed.

“It was just a little nip. You can handle it.” Kai said confidently, pushing a few strands of blue hair behind Aichi’s ear. “Anyway, you’re hard to wake up and we had the day planned.”

“Oh...right. Sorry,” said Aichi, climbing out of bed. “How did you get in here, anyway?”

“Your mom let me in on her way out to work. I think she likes me” He smirked his Kai smirk.  
“Why IS is so hard for you to wake up in the morning?”

Aichi dug through drawers for clothes and headed into the bathroom to change. Kai smiled wryly. Aichi might be getting more comfortable in their relationship, but evidently not enough to change in front of him. Ah well, it was worth the wait.

Aichi left the door open halfway so he could answer. “I don’t know. I’ve never been a morning person. When I was younger, laying in bed was the best time of my day, I guess. I got bullied a lot. The mornings were full of possibility. Something good MIGHT happen…” he laughed and trailed off.

Kai frowned. Well, that was just sad. He’d have to work on making Aichi’s days something to look forward to. He grabbed Wingal off of Aichi’s bed and shoved him in his messenger bag as Aichi came out ready to go.

They headed down to the shopping district. Kai made a beeline into a furniture store.

“What are we doing here?” Aichi asked in confusion.

“They’re having a post-holiday sale. I’m getting rid of my old futon and getting a bigger, Western style bed. After sleeping in one at your dorm, and my place in France, I hate coming back to my old style mattress on the floor.” 

He headed to the back of the store, slipped his shoes off, and started testing out mattresses. “C’mon Aichi, lay down.”

“N-no.” Aichi said, red-faced, and slipped away before Kai could stop him.

After about fifteen minutes, he came back, still looking embarrassed. 

“Why are you blushing now?” Kai asked, propped up one one arm.

“Oh. Uh, there is a really cute little kotatsu with an orange cover in the clearance section. I was just thinking how cozy it would be in your apartment with it…” he trailed off.

Kai eyed him for a few seconds and said, “Well, I’m trying to modernize, I don’t know about a kotatsu. Anyway, I found The One. Come lay down on your side and see.”

“My side?” Aichi squeaked, “I have a side?”

“Of course you do. Every time we’ve been in a bed together since that first time in your dorm, you take the right side. How did you not notice? Anyway, you have to like it too. C’mon.” He reached down into his messenger bag, took out Wingal and put it on the right side of the bed like bait. He patted the bed. “Come here.”

Aichi sputtered “Oh my God! You brought my stuffed animal to the furniture store?’

“The sooner you give in, the sooner we’re out of here.”

After getting his way, and securing Aichi’s agreement that this bed WAS The One, Kai wandered away with a salesman to haggle and pay. He loved to haggle, loved any small chance to secure a victory. He came back, looking supremely satisfied. “I got an awesome deal. Plus two pillows. Plus they’re delivering tomorrow morning.”

They headed out to a department store where they picked out bright red and orange sheets and a comforter. “Kai, I didn’t know you were into bright colors.” Aichi said.

“Yeah, well…” Kai said, shooting him a side eye “Maybe I know somebody who is” with a tiny smile.

They headed out into the mall. Kai reached for Aichi’s hand, unsure if he would take it, in public. He did, making Kai feel a warm tingle. _Oh my God, I am turning into such a sap,_ he thought to himself, as he gave Aichi’s hand a squeeze. He turned to look at him as they walked and said in a low voice, “You good?”

“Yeah,” Aichi said happily. “I’m good.”

They bought a red painted jar lamp that Aichi insisted on. “You only have that overhead light. This will be nice at night. And it goes with your comforter. You know what else you need? A plant!”

Kai sighed. He didn’t really ‘need’ anything. But Aichi was having fun picking out things to warm up Kai’s apartment. He was so relaxed, Kai didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm. And maybe it would be nice to look around his place when he was in Japan, and see things around him picked out by someone who cared about him. He smiled.

They were approaching a store that sold houseplants, when Aichi froze, which jerked Kai to a stop. “What?” he said in confusion, then followed Aichi’s gaze to… Kamui and Emi also holding hands, also frozen in shock looking back at them, about ten steps away.

“Emi… and Kamui?” Aichi asked, then grinned and dragged Kai closer. “Hey guys, it’s so awesome to see you… you know, together.”

“Kai and Aichi?” Kamui said in shock. He gestured to their joined hands with his free one. “Really?”

“Oh, get off it, Kamui. You were at the New Years Eve party. We were on the roof together. With you.” Kai said, looking annoyed.

“Yeah, well. I only have eyes for my goddess!” Kamui shouted, “And you guys are ALWAYS together when you’re in the same room!” His eyes widened with sudden understanding. “Oh. OH. I just thought… I didn’t realize…”

“Hah! Somebody finally knocked him into speechlessness.” laughed Emi, “I owe you one Aichi, I never thought I’d see it.”

“Are you… okay with that, Kamui?” asked Aichi, with a faint blush. (He’s getting better at this, Kai thought with satisfaction, A few weeks ago he would have died on the spot with mortification.) 

“Y-yeah, big bro. If you’re happy, of course I’m happy too.” He turned to Kai and narrowed his eyes. “You’d better behave, if you ever think you’re going to be my big bro-in-law.”

Kai rolled his eyes. “Calm down, pipsqueak. Aichi doesn’t need saving again.”

“That’s right, I don’t!” Aichi said with conviction. “Come help us pick out a plant for Kai’s apartment, maybe two.”

As Aichi and Emi went into the store with their heads together, talking, Kamui scowled and mumbled, “You need a cactus, to match your personality. Extra prickly.”

Kai reached over and thwacked him. “Yeah, and you need to learn to give a guy another chance.”

Kamui studied Kai for a moment and said, “Yeah, okay. Maybe I do.” They gave each other a tentative smile and turned into the store after their Sendous.


	7. Kai, Put Down that Tie!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aichi and Kai spend their last day together. Aichi makes fun of Kai’s signature Vanguard calls and the fact he’s the only player to call ‘THE vanguard’ (Shion’s just a copycat wannabe) Aichi gets tied up. Don’t be worried it’s just kissing and he likes it.

Aichi was heading over to Kai’s apartment for their last full day together, before he had to head back to America for the next university term. He had no idea when they’d be together again.

_“How do you want to spend the day?” Kai had asked. “I can take you out to dinner? Or cook you whatever you want at my place if you want to stay in.”_

_Aichi replied “Can we just stay in? For the whole day? Maybe watch a movie and cardfight. I just want to spend as much time with you alone as we can before I have to go…”_

Sooo, that was the plan.

Aichi let himself into the lobby with Kai’s code and took the elevator upstairs. He felt a little nervous, but excited at the thought of having an uninterrupted day together.

Kai answered his knock quickly and opened the door wide with a warm smile. “Welcome to my newly decorated flat. _Mi casa es su casa._ ” He stepped aside and swept into an elegant bow.

Aichi laughed a bit, saying “Now you’re adding Spanish to your ever-growing list of languages?” 

Kai responded “I hope you get a chance to meet Jaime Alcaraz soon, you will be sprinkling Spanish in, too. You’d really like each other.”

Aichi took a single step inside and stopped short. Kai had a small studio, so the changes were evident at the door. What had been a stark space with a minimum of furniture was now a cozy room with Dragonic Overlord tones. The new queen sized bed dominated, with its flame-like red and orange bedding. Two plants, an aloe and a trailing pothos (despite Kamui insisting on a cactus) made the wide window sill more cheerful. The new red jar lamp emitted a welcoming light from the bookcase, and in the other corner……”KAI! You got the kotatsu!!” He turned to Kai, eyes shining, and grabbed him in a tight hug. Kai threw his free arm around him and squeezed him closer.

“C’mon in, so I can close the door.” Kai said and shuffled him a few steps inside. “You obviously really wanted it, and it just happened to match, so I figured, ‘why not?’”

“I love it so much!! It’s so cozy!” Aichi said. “Oh, can we turn the heater on and cardfight?”

“I’m glad you’re happy,'' Kai said, dropping a quick kiss on Aichi’s head, “but I started an early lunch. Are you hungry enough to eat first? I thought later we can be decadent and order in desserts instead of dinner.”

“That’s perfect!” Aichi said with a grin. He slipped his shoes off, padded over to the kotatsu, and slid beneath the orange cover. “Mmmmm, the heater’s on already!” He closed his eyes blissfully and stretched.

Kai smiled with satisfaction, as he headed to the kitchen. “I knew you’d head there first.” He shook his head with a smile, saying under his breath, “He’s just like a cat."

He took a beautiful crusty loaf of bread out of the oven, looking proud. He had been taking some French cuisine classes in between tournaments in Europe. Then he quickly whipped together the big super fluffy omelets that Aichi loved, and they ate at the kotatsu. Kai blushed uncharacteristically as Aichi thanked him and praised the food. 

After they cleared the meal, they got comfortable under the table’s cover and got out their card decks. Aichi’s current deck was Royal Paladins, Kai’s Kagero.

“Mmmm,” Kai said, after their first few matches. “I’m glad I took you furniture shopping. You were right about this thing.” He stretched out his foot and ran it up the side of Aichi’s leg under the table. 

Aichi beamed back at him, unconsciously moving a bit closer. “I have my uses. Hey. I brought my Gold Paladins. Do you want to play your Narukami against them for old time’s sake?”

Kai cocked his head, considering, leaning back on both arms. “Sure, why not? That deck’s still in my bag.”

Kai quickly beat Aichi in two consecutive matches. “Ugh," said Aichi. I don’t know if I’m just rusty, or that Narukami is just harder to beat.” 

Kai smirked. “You wanna switch decks?” He asked slyly.

“Sure, why not!” Aichi said, gathering his paladins together and shuffling a bit before neatening his deck and handing it over. 

Kai looked surprised, but did the same. “I didn’t think you’d agree.”

Aichi lost his first match. Then took some time to read over the cards more thoroughly. “OK. I got it now.” he said confidently. “I just need to channel my inner Kai.”

“Hmm. Do you _have_ an inner Kai?’” he asked dubiously.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to fake it!” Aichi laughed. “Okay. Kai face.” He suddenly lost his sunny smile and straightened up, grimaced menacingly and went completely silent.

“Oh. Is THAT how it is?” Kai asked incredulously. “Okay. Aichi face.” He suddenly also got serious, casting a gimlet eye across the table. “I am Sendou Aichi. I usually stutter and blush, but now that the match has commenced, I am all steely determination.”

Aichi spluttered a laugh before getting back in character.

“Stand up, Vanguard!” yelled Kai at the same moment that Aichi shouted “Stand up, THE Vanguard!” stressing THE to ridiculous proportions, then briefly cracking up before subsiding.

“I’m not that bad!” Kai complained. Aichi just nodded at him solemnly, then lifted his hand and made an impatient beckoning gesture. He put down his starting card, Lizard Soldier, Sishin. Kai growled, and threw his starting card, Grassland Breeze, Sagramore. 

They played seriously until Aichi got to his grade three ride. He suddenly jumped up, waving his card arm flamboyantly and yelled “Ride the Vanguard! Break the cage that seals you and descend to the field! Incarnation of thunder, Dragonic Kaiser Vermeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelion!” dragging out the eeee for about five seconds. 

“I do NOT sound like that!” Kai roared.

“Yes. Yes you do,” Aichi laughed and snorted, which made him laugh harder. 

“Oh yeah?” Kai exclaimed, jumping up, and going over to the window. He lifted the curtains off their bracket, sliding the curtains off onto the bed, and brandishing the rod. He jumped onto a chair, yelling “O warrior clad in burning armor, give hope to the people in despair with your explosive flames! I ride, Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel!”

Aichi gasped. “Really? You’re going there? The _curtain rod_ incident! I’m wounded.” he dropped his head into his hands. 

“Shit. You’re right, I’m sorry.” Kai jumped off the chair and came over to Aichi’s side of the table.

Aichi whipped his head back up and said, “I’m not sorry, DRAGONIC OVERLORD!” in an insanely dramatic voice.

Now Kai gasped. “I do NOT sound like that!”

“Yes, you do!” Aichi said with glee. He dug in his pocket for his phone. “I’ll show you.” He quickly scrolled and started a video replaying one of Kai’s old Asia Circuit matches and turned it around to show Kai.

Kai glanced at it, then returned his narrowed gaze to Aichi’s. “So. You just happen to have one of my old matches... _saved_ ....to your phone?”

Aichi turned bright red, and turned the sound down on the video, where a tiny Kai could be heard bellowing ‘vermeeeeeeeelllion’. “Well, maybe a couple. Of old ones. And some of your new ones from the European league. And…” he yelped as Kai pounced on him and pulled him in for a fierce hug.

“Why?” Kai asked, muffled by Aichi’s hair.

“Well. I missed you.” Aichi said in a small voice, wrapping his arms tightly around Kai’s waist and burying his head in his chest. 

That was the end of card fighting for the day.

An hour later they had ordered dessert. Aichi had scrolled through the menu online reading off things he wanted. “I’ll have THE mocha latte, and THE cherry cheesecake. With whipped cream.”

“Aichi. Quit with the THE thing already.”

“Hmm? I don’t know what you mean, I’m just ordering.” Aichi said with quiet mirth.

Kai just shook his head, secretly amused at how far Aichi was willing to needle him. He knew what Aichi wanted, why he was goading him. He sighed. Why couldn’t the younger boy just initiate what he _really_ wanted?

Now, the doorbell rang, and Kai went to the speaker to talk to the delivery person. 

When he turned away, he slipped his shoes on, saying, “I have to run down to the lobby. I’ll be right back.”

Aichi, wide eyed with exaggerated innocence asked, “Oh, is it THE food we ordered?”

Kai shot him a simmering side eye. “Keep it up, Sendou. You might get more than you bargained for," and left.

Aichi hugged his knees to his chest and grinned with hilarity. He loved being with Kai, loved finally being free to tease him. He especially loved when he provoked a physical reaction from him. 

Kai came back in, carrying a large bag with a bakery logo on the side, and a tray with two steaming coffee cups, putting them down on the counter and starting to lift out containers. “Did you want to start with cheesecake, or chocolate?”

Aichi schooled his face to a serious expression and said, “It couldn’t be as good as your chocolate cake, Kai-kun. Your New Year’s cake was THEEEEEE best!”

Kai turned around very slowly, and eyed Aichi for a moment, raking him from head to toe with narrowed eyes. Aichi had one moment to feel a frisson of doubt, before Kai burst into sudden motion, leaping toward Aichi. He had time to let out just a half shriek as Kai scooped him up, took three strides across the room and threw him on the bed. Aichi bounced twice and turned to look in shock at Kai who was pulling a necktie loose from the bedpost. He quickly grabbed Aichi’s slender wrists and wrapped the tie around them a few times, then tied them above his head to the headboard. A devilish smile spread across his face as he watched Aichi squirm.

“K-Kai-kun. Wh-what are you doing?”

“I warned you. Now chill out.” Kai said, as he strode back to the kitchen and put a piece of chocolate torte on a delicate little plate that seemed out of place. He sprawled in his old armchair with his legs thrown over one side, eyeing Aichi and savoring his cake in small forkfuls.

“Kai,” Aichi said. Then a moment later, “Hey!” 

Kai just ate cake and ignored him. Aichi giggled and in a singsong voice said “Kaaaiiii-kuuuun.”

Kai heaved a sigh. “What do you really want, Aichi. Your dessert? Tell me straight for once.”

“Screw dessert. Come here and kiss me. I put that cologne on that you like…”

Kai noted that finally, _finally,_ Aichi was being straightforward, no stammering, with just the faintest trace of a blush.

Kai deliberately put his plate down, stood up and started unbuttoning his shirt, stepping toward the bed. He left it loose and bent to unbutton Aichi’s. Aichi kept his eyes on Kai’s, breathing unevenly.

Kai lowered himself onto his forearms over Aichi, chest to chest. Aichi hissed out a breath and lurched up to kiss him. Kai lifted his head after a few minutes, then leaned back to say breathlessly, “Is this okay?” 

“Yes…” Aichi breathed back, eyes unfocused. 

Kai spent some time exploring Aichi’s neck and ear lobes while Aichi whimpered. He savored the contact of their bare skin, then growled softly when he got to Aichi’s collarbone. “Your collarbone drives me crazy. I don’t know why. Maybe because you’re always so covered up.” He delicately bit down, eliciting a shiver. 

“Kai?” Aichi huffed softly with laughter, “This doesn’t feel much like punishment. Not complaining…”

Kai took a shaky breath and leaned his forehead against Aichi’s. He murmured “Maybe not for _you._ " He leaned back and surveyed his tousled, flushed boyfriend, limbs slack, lips bruised. Damn, he would remember this sight forever. He had marked the tender skin on Aichi’s neck, and felt fiercely, strangely satisfied about it. Aichi, too, would remember this time together back in America every time he looked in the mirror for the next few days.

“You’re going to have to wear your scarf for a day or two.” he said softly, as he reached up to unknot the tie from Aichi’s wrists. He rubbed them both and dropped a kiss on each one. 

“Mmm.” Aichi hummed. “Kai, are you okay?” he blushed.

“Aichi. I’m fine. More than fine. When we take the next step, it will be YOUR choice. We aren’t on any timeline, okay? And you can kiss me whenever you want, no need to goad me into it. Now behave yourself, and you can have your dessert. It’ll be iced coffee instead of hot, but that’s your fault...” he said with a smile.

They settled in against the pillows, with plates of cake to share. Aichi, sinking in and saying, with a daring look in his eyes “Hey, Kai. You were right. This bed definitely is THE One.” 

Kai shot him an amused look and dropped a kiss on his nose. “I’ve created a monster. _Behave,_ Sendou.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I strayed off of fluff. I promise it’s just this chapter. Kai was a little too self assured and needed to be thrown off kilter a bit. 😊


	8. Another Misaki’s Monday Morning Catch-Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aichi tells Misaki of his adventures at Kai’s place. Poor Misaki.

Aichi was looking forward to his weekly Misaki call. He had gotten used to using her as a confidant for his budding relationship with Toshiki Kai. It was stilted and awkward at first, but even though she was older than him, she was in the midst of her first serious relationship too. They soon grew used to sharing details that neither would be able to speak in person to each other, much less to anyone else, under an unspoken pact of secrecy.

He answered at the first half ring. “Hi Misaki!”

“Aichi! Long time no see, what has it been? Three days?” she laughed. “I’ve been waiting for this. We couldn’t talk in the car on the way to the airport. And you two glommed onto each other at the gate like barnacles. Were you crying? I didn’t have a good angle.”

“Ugh. Yes.” Aichi said with embarrassment. “Leaving Kai without knowing when I’ll see him again was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.” He paused for a moment. “And I’ve had to do some pretty hard things!”

She laughed again. “True that. Well, spill it. How did Thursday go. Romantic? Sexy?  
Did you finally……?” she trailed off suggestively.

“No! We didn’t... It was good. It was fun..”

“Details, Sendou.”

He filled her in on the rough outline of the day. The new coziness of Kai’s apartment, the familiar joy of cardfighting his biggest rival, the hilarity of teasing Kai over his article use and overly dramatic ride calls, the resultant restraining of Aichi with a necktie….

“WAIT! WHAT?” Misaki practically roared into the phone. “You’re making that up! Aren’t you? Oh my GODDESS, Aichi!”

“N-No…” Aichi said, then proceeded to tell her the results of said tying. 

“Did you like it?” Misaki asked with glee.

“Y-yes…” Aichi whispered into the phone.

“Sendou, Aichi! Topping from the bottom! I never thought you had it in you!” she outright roared with an unrestrained laughter that Aichi had never heard from her before.

“Um. What’s it even mean?” Aichi asked nervously.

“Look it up. I’ll wait….” she said gasping breathlessly. “You’re killing me.”

“Hey!” Aichi heard in the background from his phone as he googled it. “What are you laughing at so hard? Are you making fun of me?” Miwa sounded like he was approaching Misaki.

“No! Everything’s not about you.” Misaki spat at Miwa. “Go away.”

Aichi, having found the definition, flamed crimson, and asked Misaki, “Is that bad? I haven’t talked to Kai since I landed Friday, we just texted back and forth a few times. Did I screw up?”

“Hell no, Aichi. I’d say your instincts are spot on. Can’t have Kai calling all the shots, you probably confused the hell out of him.” she went off in peals of laughter again. “That’s a good thing.”

“Um. What about you two?” Aichi asked kind of cringingly, trying to understand the dynamic. “Who….who is who? You and Miwa I mean?”

Misaki sounded like she was going to need medical help soon, she was gasping too hard in between whoops of laughter. “No….nope that’s not us. No top, no bottom, just constant kicking each other around.”

Miwa’s voice got very close “Now I know you’re talking about me. HI AICHI! Come here, Misa”

“You spilled my coffee, Miwa! Get your hands off of me in the shop, perv. Hold on, Aichi” and the phone clunked as it hit the counter. Miwa yelled “Why, we aren’t even open yet!” and the bickering and delighted shrieking by Misaki faded away a bit.

Aichi sighed. “Guys? Guys?”

A snuffling sound, then a loud “Meeeooowww”

“Hey! Sub Manager! Is that you boy? Oh what a good kitty. You miss me, bud?”

“Meoooww!”

After a bit, Shin Nitta’s voice could be heard, nearing. “Asisstacat? What are you doing to Misaki’s phone? You can’t call people! C’mon let’s do the inventory.”

“Shin! Hello!” Aichi yelled.

Footsteps walking away.

Aichi smiled to himself and hit ‘end call.’ He left a text for Misaki that he hoped they had had fun. He had managed to get an update on Misaki and Miwa’s relationship, without actually speaking of it. And Misaki had opened his eyes to a few things about his own. He wasn’t worried anymore. He’d wait on Kai to call.


	9. Rainy Days and Mondays (Kai & Gaillard)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai and Gaillard thinking of Aichi on a rainy day.

Kai stared unfocused out of the window, chin cupped in one hand, at the grey sleety French morning. He had been stationed there since getting out of bed. 

“Mon Ami, how long are you going to act the statue?” called Gaillard from the kitchen. 

Kai started, then stretched, shaking out his dead hand. It must have been awhile. 

Gaillard settled on the other end of the sofa, bringing in two cups of steaming black coffee, one of which he put in front of Kai. “You have been moping like this for the two days since you have come back from Japan. I really think you should talk about it. I cannot help if you do not.”

Kai sighed and pulled over a coaster, shooting Gaillard a black look, as he settled the mug properly atop it. He had given up trying to make Gaillard adhere to his own views of neatness, cleanliness, and the proper way to do things- like using a damned coaster to avoid rings marring the table. However, he did have a point. Gaillard was a typical Frenchman, entering and exiting relationships with both sexes with utter ease. Moreover, he adored Aichi and absolutely had his best interests in mind. Which thankfully, seemed to include Kai at the moment.

Gaillard said gently, “When I texted Aichi, he seemed quite happy with his vacation with you…”

Kai sighed again, running both hands through his unruly hair, pulling a bit in frustration. “Okay. But it’s between us.”, filling him in on the outline of he and Aichi’s time together, especially his frustration with their last day. “He was so keyed up and ridiculous. I didn’t even get a chance to tell him I loved him. I...I. haven’t said the words yet, you know? I waited all this time, not wanting to scare him off, and then I missed my chance. At the airport, Miwa and Misaki were there, so all we could do is hug each other like it would be the last time. He cried, my ribs still hurt from how hard he squeezed me. And I have no idea when we will be able to see each other again. I can’t tell him on a screen. Or a stupid phone for the first time.” He sighed again, looking anguished. “Were you ever in love, G?”

Gaillard had been listening, staring out of the window. He huffed a soft laugh, saying, “Once. As the Americans say, there was the ‘one that got away.’ But he was meant for another.” His eyes refocused on Kai, taking a slow sip of coffee, gathering his stormy thoughts. 

“Kai, first of all, you got Aichi to open up in initiating physicality, despite your dubious methods. Secondly, I think that Aichi may have spent your last day together in laughing and teasing not as a way to hold you apart, but as usual, to spare you sadness. I am sure he felt the weight of your impending separation as keenly as you, but sought to lighten it for your sake. That is the Aichi Sendou I know. You are on the right path. You will just need to have a plan the next time you do meet. Kai, you have only been in a relationship for two short months…”

Now Kai laughed ruefully. “You’re right, as usual, you’re right, even though it feels more like two years. Four years? Almost all of it wasted pining for each other on both sides.”

“ALL of which got you here to the present. In a relationship with the man you love. It will come right. It will be worth it. Why don’t you call him before he goes to bed? You will feel better. And Aichi will go to sleep happy.”

“You always know the right thing to say, Gaillard.” Kai took a deep breath, and scrubbed his face with both hands. He drained his cooled coffee and stood up. “ Maybe I can figure out a way to surprise him for Valentine’s Day somehow. I have a month to figure it out. It would be good to have something concrete to look forward to.” 

Kai walked over to the sink and rinsed his mug out. He unplugged his phone from the wall charger, mumbling “It’s really late there, I’d better text first to see if he’s awake. A moment later a grin broke out on his face as his phone dinged back. He grabbed an umbrella and his jacket from the closet and opened the door, pausing to look back, and throw Gaillard a wry grin. “Thanks, Gaillard, how did you get so smart about this stuff, anyway?” He left without waiting for an answer.

Gaillard let his smile die as the door closed, thoughts on a certain blue haired boy. He settled his chin cupped in one hand, staring unfocused out of the window at the grey sleety French morning. Softly, he said, “For the love of the one who got away.”


	10. Valentine’s Day Surprise!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aichi is missing his valentine. Ralph tries to help. Kai was involved in a Vanguard street brawl?

Aichi let himself into his dorm building after morning classes and started up the second floor stairs to his room, once again appreciating the relative quiet of the Honors dorm he lived in. He sighed to himself, thinking that although he finally had a significant other this Valentine’s Day, he was ironically more lonely than usual, as he was almost 7000 miles away from Kai and everyone else who cared about him. 

As he walked down the hall, he noticed all of the doors had a cheerful red or pink lacy paper heart with the occupant’s name written on it, and stopped to look at his own pink one as he fumbled with his key. It said “Happy Valentine’s Day, Aichi!” in black sharpie, with a doodle that may have been a card deck on it. He smiled at it, as Ralph came down the hall with a roll of tape and extra hearts in his hands. 

He unlocked the door and turned to face his RA with one hand behind him on the doorknob. “Wow, Ralph! This was a nice idea, thank you!” bowing slightly, reflexively. (He couldn’t seem to lose the habit despite being in America for six months.) 

“No problem, Aichi!” Ralph said with a smile. “I mean, not to point out the stereotype, but it’s not like most of you freshman Honors nerds have had the time or fortitude to get yourselves attached.” He laughed. “You might be the only one on the floor who is!"

He started stuffing the extra hearts back into their plastic sleeve. “So, do you guys even have Valentine’s Day in Japan?”

Aichi’s face fell. “Yeah. We do. There’s a LOT of chocolate. Girls usually give guys chocolate, then next month on White Day, guys reciprocate.”

“Aw, sorry man, looks like I bummed you out.”

Aichi pushed his door open a few inches, now just wanting to end the conversation and put his heavy messenger bag down. “It’s okay. I...I just haven’t been able to get a hold of Kai today. I wanted to tell him…” 

He blushed as he trailed off and looked up at Ralph, who was looking past Aichi into his room. His friend’s mouth was open in a comical cartoon ‘O’ of surprise. Aichi whirled around and pushed his door all the way open, then froze. His book bag slid from his shoulder and hit the floor with a solid thump. 

He stared for a moment at Toshiki Kai, who slowly uncoiled himself from sitting on Aichi’s bed and stood looking at him with a wry smile and burning emerald eyes. 

Aichi suddenly made a raw noise deep in his throat and bolted the ten steps toward Kai, launching himself at the last moment, wrapping his legs around his waist, and burying his face into his arms which latched around Kai’s neck. Kai caught him easily, enfolding him in a death grip. He breathed “Aichi...” before closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against his blue hair. 

“Ah….uh...” Ralph murmured, shocked and forgotten. He leaned to the side and groped for the strap of Aichi’s bag in the hall without ungluing his wide eyes from the display. He finally snagged it and took a step forward, dropping the bag just inside the door, then reached around to engage the lock on the inside doorknob. “So I, uh, I…later then”. Ralph took in a last eyeful of the motionless couple as he quietly let the door click shut. He leaned his head against it for a second and took a deep breath. “ _Christ,_ that was hot.” he whispered, and pushed off to go back to his room.”I gotta get a girlfriend.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few moments later, Aichi reluctantly uncurled himself and dropped to his feet, Kai’s arms still wound around his back. “How...how are you here?” he said in confusion. He reached up and gently touched a too-large, faded-yellow bruise on the side of Kai’s face. “And how did you get hurt?”

Kai dropped a kiss onto Aichi’s head, and drew him back down onto the narrow bed, settling him into the crook of his arm. He gestured to the thick red and orange comforter and smirked. “I like what you’ve done with the place. Matches mine.”

Aichi blushed. “Thanks again for sending it. My old one really was warm enough, though. And don’t change the subject. I thought you were going to start saving your tournament money for a… a house” (turning redder). 

Kai kissed him gently. “Extra blushy, today, Sendou? Worth every euro to see it…” He sighed. “Don’t be mad.”  
“I didn’t dip into my savings this time. I, uh… earned it on the side. There was a high stakes Vanguard street ring I heard about when we were in Vienna. I had to disguise myself a little. Gaillard had too much fun with that.” He huffed a laugh, then touched his bruise absently. “We had no way of knowing they’d object so….strenuously...to an outsider winning the pot.”

Aichi knelt up and straddled Kai with a sharp intake of breath. He traced his fingers over the older boy’s cheek. “Kai. Promise me you won’t do anything like that again!”

“I won’t. It sounds worse than it was. When the punches started, Gaillard and Neve backed me up and got us out of there. And these two fanboys who recognized me when my hat fell off helped.” He laughed. “It was a brawl for a minute there.” He caught Aichi’s teary, level stare and subsided. He brought Aichi’s hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to it.

“Hey. Hey. I’m fine. I promise I won’t do it again. This is a one time thing. I could not miss our first Valentine’s Day.” A faint pink stained his cheeks. He tipped Aichi’s face up to meet his gaze squarely. “I didn’t want to tell you this from half a world away. Sendou Aichi, I love you. It took me too long to admit it to myself, and I don’t want to wait any longer to admit it to you. I love you, and I...I want you in my life. For as long as you’ll have me.”

Aichi’s brimming eyes finally spilled over as one tear traced down his cheek. “Kai… T- Toshiki. I love you too. I have for as almost as long as I can remember.”

Kai growled softly and kissed him. He pulled back a tiny bit and whispered right against Aichi’s lips, “Again.”

Aichi, knowing what he wanted, breathed “Toshiki…” and pulled Kai’s lips back down to his. 

(◍•ᴗ•◍)❤ ❤(◍•ᴗ•◍)


	11. More Valentine's Day with Kaichi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Valentine's Day hijinks on campus with Kaichi. Ren manages to make Kai jealous from 7000 miles away.

Kai was staying for three days. They decided to make the best of it, as the next time it might be possible to see each other would be Aichi’s spring break. Which would involve him having to go to France, as Kai couldn’t disappear again for a while.

After some argument, it was agreed that Aichi could skip his classes for the afternoon and the next two days, as he never skipped or stayed home sick, and of course his professors adored him.”I have a _looooot_ of goodwill banked.” Aichi laughed.

Kai wanted to be shown all of Aichi's favorite places on campus.

They bundled up and strolled glove-in-glove around campus, ducking their heads into different buildings Aichi had classes in, and walking the paths he usually took to get places. It was much easier to show affection on campus; young people seemed to be accepting to the point that the two of them feeling cocooned in invisibility. It was liberating. 

“This _has_ to be boring for you.” Aichi complained. “Isn’t there anything you’d rather be doing?”

“Nothing.” Kai replied. He turned to look at Aichi, then dropped a kiss on his cold-reddened nose, reaching to fluff his green scarf up more snuggly around his boyfriend’s neck. “When I think of you, I’ll be able to imagine it more clearly in my head, now that I’ve seen your routine.” He smiled. 

Aichi took him to his favorite cafeteria, which had an enormous salad bar and a section where you could order burgers, fries, and traditional American fare.

“Damn!” said Kai, “We don’t have anything like this at home!” 

Aichi just laughed. “Remember? Everything’s bigger in America?”

They got a table. Aichi settled down to eat his usual, and work on the statistics problems he had missed in class today while Kai wandered around with Aichi’s meal card. Kai returned to put an enormous salad on the table and then roamed away again. Aichi eyed it. It was a beautiful mound of perfection, each item contrasting beautifully with the colors and shapes of those around it. Leave it to Kai to make a salad into a work of art. Aichi shook his head, stealing some croutons and laughing to himself as he engrossed himself in his paper.

Fifteen minutes later, he closed his book and stretched, realizing that Kai had never returned. He texted “Where r u?”

“Getting onion rings.”

Aichi looked over toward that food window. Kai was leaning against the wall, eating his onion rings, while a pretty blond worker was leaning over the counter speaking animatedly, blushing wildly. After a moment, Kai seemed to feel Aichi’s gaze, as he turned around to meet it, bowed slightly to the girl, and returned to their table.

Aichi laughed. “What happened to you?”

“Oh. These onion rings are so much better than the ones I’ve had in Japan. That helpful girl was telling me how they make them.” Kai started working his way through his monument of a salad. “Buttermilk and safflower oil” he mumbled to himself.

“You are so dense, Kai-Kun. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t interested in sharing recipes.”

“Hmm?” Kai raised a brow at Aichi.

“Dense” he repeated, firmly.  
<3<3<3<3<3<3

When they got back to the dorm, Aichi checked his mail. He had an oversized manilla envelope smashed into his tiny mailbox as well as an ornate pink envelope. “What’s _that?_ ” Kai asked suspiciously, taking the pink one out of Aichi’s hand, and sniffing at it. “Is that…. _perfume?_ ”

“I don’t know, open it.” Aichi responded absently, looking at the return address on the large manilla one, as they entered his room and dumped their things. His face lit up and he said “ooo, it's from Card Capital!" Then tearing it open "It’s handmade valentines from everybody!” He started sorting through them on his desk, face glowing.

“Look at this one from Morikawa:  
Roses are red  
Violets are Blue  
Be My Valentine  
Or I’ll Triple Crit You.” 

Aichi laughed happily.

Kai glared at the pink card in his own hand, before sniffing it again and tearing the flap open as he sat on the bed. “What the literal fuck?” he snarled after reading the heart-emblazoned card.

Aichi looked at him, shocked. “What?”

Kai read:  
“Your gaze traps me here  
On the breath of something new  
Emerald into blue...  
Love, Ren” He tossed his hands in the air, aggravated.

“Aw, it’s a haiku poem!” Aichi went back to his reading. “Hey, this one’s from Noaki, and it has a...bad...picture of his Eradicator Dragon, I think?  
Most roses are red  
Some are Maroon  
Come cardfight me  
Tomorrow at noon” He giggled.

“Why is _Ren_ sending you a romantic, perfumed Valentine haiku?” Kai all but shouted.

Aichi heaved a sigh and reached out in a ‘give it here’ gesture. He looked Ren's card over then tilted his head, staring at his bristling boyfriend for a very long moment. “Ren has red eyes.” He pointed back and forth between his own eyes and Kai’s. “It’s about _us_. Look, after his signature, he wrote ‘Hi Kai’ really little. Did you tell him you were coming?” He leaned over to kiss Kai on the cheek, going back to his valentines, muttering “Dense.”

Kai glared at the pink missive again, before whipping his phone out and texting furiously “You’re an ass.” to Ren and throwing it down. It pinged almost immediately. He grabbed it up again to read. “Awe. You _did_ make it to your valentine. Careful, U R getting predictable. Have fun! <3”

Aichi, grinning, was holding up a picture of Ultimate Raizer, Dual-Flare who was shooting hearts out of his cannon, signed by Kamui. He put it down, then randomly picked up another. “Okay. One more. One more. This is from Miwa:  
“Roses are red  
Their leaves are green  
Dragonic Overlord  
Go break their spleen!”

Kai groaned, covered his face with his hands, and fell backward onto the bed.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Late in the evening, Kai and Aichi were sprawled out on the bed, having just finished watching _Howl’s Moving Castle_. Aichi shifted happily in the crook of Kai’s shoulder to look at him. “Well? Didn’t you like it?” 

“It was okay. I liked the little fire guy. Honestly, though. What did she see in him? He was a good-looking guy but he was pretty cold to her for most of the movie.” He looked down at his boyfriend lacking any trace of irony. 

Aichi tilted further towards him and stared incredulously at his lack of self-awareness with jaw dropped. “Den—“ 

Kai quickly put his index finger against Aichi’s lips and chuckled darkly. “Stop saying that! Anyway, I didn’t know you were such a romantic, Aichi.”

Well, you don’t have to be so _un_ romantic!”

Kai leaned over Aichi, taking his lips in a deep kiss. He pulled back and said “I am _plenty_ romantic. I just save it for you. Happy Valentine’s Day, Aichi.” He planted another kiss, this time on Aichi’s neck. “What do you say, will you be mine, Little Sage Marron?” he whispered, cheeks stained red.

“No.” Aichi whispered back, rolling Kai over and kissing him back as Kai growled low in his throat.

“But I _will_ be your Blaster Blade.”

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just had too many ideas to fit into one chapter this time, so here's some bonus Valentine’s Day action.  
> Thanks to my beta for coming up with the Card Capital gang's valentines. Just think of them taking turns at the shop at a craft table in the corner making valentines with colored pencils and markers, trying out rhymes. Lol  
> Please check out her stuff here on ao3. Lady_Lizz


	12. Aichi Gets a Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misaki’s Monday Morning Breakfast Catch-Up. Now with more Shin! Aichi has new prospects.

Aichi grinned at his computer as his friends at Card Capital came onto the screen, Misaki’s hand briefly blocking the camera as she adjusted it to get them both into frame. “Hi, Shin! Hi Misaki!” he said brightly. “Oh, and Hi sub-Manager, I see you back there!”

“Hi Aichi!” They both smiled widely back at him as a long meow sounded.

“I’m sorry I missed talking to you last week, Misaki. There’s kind been a lot going on here, since Kai left.” He flushed a bit. “It took me a bit to catch up on school work, too.”

“Mmmm-hmm,” Misaki said with a smirk, “Don’t think you’re getting out of THAT discussion by delaying it, by the way.”

“Well, let’s deal with business first, then.” Aichi replied nervously, pushing his hair back behind his ear. 

Shin visibly perked up a bit at that, wondering what kind of business Aichi wanted him on the call for.

Aichi filled them in on what had happened almost two weeks ago, when he and Kai had gotten back to the dorm the day after Valentine’s Day. Well, just the facts, not the _details..._

************************

Ralph had been artfully and purposefully sprawled out in the hallway with a deck of Vanguard cards spread out in front of him, flipping through a box of his bulk cards. “Oh, hey, Aichi. Kai.”  
He blushed, his last view of them having been pasted together in Aichi’s room the day before. “I was, uh, just going through my deck.”

Kai and Aichi exchanged a glance, Kai looking slightly exasperated until Aichi gave him a tiny smile and nod, letting his hand go. Kai sighed. “Would you like me to look through it for you? My written English isn’t as good as my spoken, but I pretty much have most decks memorized by now. What do you use?” Kai had moved to sit in the hallway next to Ralph, leaning against the wall and propping one leg up.

Ralph’s look of hope turned into one of gratitude. “That would be great! I use Great Nature. Hammsuke.”

Aichi went into his room, leaving the door open, enjoying listening to the cadence of Kai's voice as he patiently talked through what strategy he would use given Ralph’s available cards, and suggesting a few replacements.

Kai came into the room over half an hour later, closing the door quietly. Aichi padded over and looped his arms around Kai’s neck. He said softly “That was a trap even _I_ could recognize. Thanks for doing it. I wonder how long he was sitting out there waiting for us.” He colored slightly and kissed Kai sweetly on the lips.

“He’s a good guy.” Kai said gruffly when Aichi pulled away. He wrapped his arms more firmly around Aichi’s waist when he would have stepped back. “Anyway, _you_ got trapped too. He didn’t want to play me, said he’d just embarrass himself. You and I got roped into putting on a little exhibition in the dorm lounge instead tonight, for him and a few of his cardfighting friends. They’re buying the pizza.”

Aichi huffed a laugh. “I owe you one, don’t I?” 

Kai leaned down and bit the smaller boy’s bottom lip before soothing it with a lick. “No, you owe me a few. You want to start paying me back now… or tonight?”

***********************

Now Aichi squirmed a bit in his seat and refocused his attention on the screen before him. Both Misaki and Shin were watching him with small smiles. “A-Anyway. It turned into more than a few friends. There were like, fifty people smashed into our little dorm lounge. I had been flying under the radar since I got to campus, and only a few people knew about my cardfighting past. When word spread about having a sparring match between past and current tournament champions, some of the better local players showed up. It was a good time. You know how Kai plays to an audience! I think he enjoyed it, even though he’d never admit it.”

Shin and Misaki exchanged a meaningful glance. Shin said, “That’s great Aichi! I’m glad you got a chance to play again. It was always an important part of who you were, I would hate to see you lose something you enjoy so much, even if you chose a different path.”

“Well, apparently word got around about Kai and I card fighting. By last weekend, I got phone calls from two different shops both offering me a job! The bigger chain store offered more money. But the smaller one is closer, and they reminded me of Card Capital…” Aichi blushed faintly. “It’s perfect, and I couldn’t refuse. They want me to come one night a week and on the weekends to help train their better players, and help for shop tournaments. They believe I’m well known enough to bring in some higher profile players, which means better sales. I’m getting a good hourly rate plus a commission on packs sold while I’m there. I can give back to the cardfight community, and I might be able to save enough money for airfare for spring break!”

Misaki squealed “Oh! You’re coming home for a week this spring?”

Aichi looked down, and mumbled “Ah--- I thought maybe France?”

Shin elbowed Misaki “Oh, stop teasing the boy!” He turned back to Aichi, rubbing his hands. “So how can I help you, Aichi?”

They spent the next half hour discussing upcoming releases and upselling tactics. Things that Aichi and his friends had been taken in by, many a time, but never had to use against others. Shin finally left to open the store after promising to add Aichi to a few good email and catalog lists.

“Thanks for including Shin, Aichi. He was excited about it.” Misaki looked behind her to make sure that Shin was well away, then leaned back in closer to the screen, eyes sparkling. “All right, spill it, Sendou.”

“Wh-what do you want me to spill?”

“You’ve been avoiding me since Valentine’s Day. Details. Did you?”

“D-Did I...? Did _you?_? Aichi ended the question on a squeak.

__

“Yes!” She said, with relish. “Did _you?_ ”

__

“I’m….I’m n-not….”

__

“HAH!” Misaki laughed pointing at him. “Oh my goddess, you DID, you _dog!_ Your _face!!!!_ Well…?”

__

Aichi thumped his head down face first onto his desk and mumbled. “No. I can’t.”

__

After a moment, he looked up at her squarely, face scarlet. “I love you but I’m not talking to you about it. Ever. I gotta go.”

__

Misaki’s face melted into a sweet smile. “Aw, Aichi. Good for you. Don't let anyone push you around. Not even me. Love you too.”

__

She kissed two fingers and held them out to the screen as it went black.

__

Aichi thumped his head back down into his hands “At least _that’s_ over with,” he mumbled to himself. He sighed and got up to get ready for bed.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, friends. I sure hope Aichi earns enough for a spring break to France. Hijinks await!!  
> Kudos & Comments always appreciated.


	13. Kaichi Late Night Phone Fluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long Distance Relationships are hard. Aichi misses Kai so much he can't sleep. Kai helps.

Kai pushed his face deeper into his pillow and groaned, trying to figure out what had woken him up earlier than sunrise. He groped for his phone. 6:30. He saw a text from Aichi; the notification ping must have done it.

Can you call me when you wake up? Plz?❤️

Kai felt himself come fully awake with a cold jolt. It wasn’t like Aichi to be up this late midweek, let alone call someone if he thought he’d wake them up. He was too nice for that. He sat up and dialed, struggling into a t-shirt one-handed while he held the phone up to his ear with the other.

“Toshiki” Aichi answered, high voiced and breathless. “Hi. I’m sorry. I know I probably woke you up. I-I tried to wait a while to let you sleep longer.”

Kai’s heart warmed and then dropped to hear his boyfriend use his first name. It still didn’t happen often, usually only when his emotions got the better of him. “Aichi. What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Aichi sounded a little embarrassed, but mostly dejected. “I can’t sleep. I didn’t last night either. I just really miss you. I’ve just been stuck wondering how we can do this for three more years.” His voice, thick with tears, trailed off.

Kai sighed and padded into the dark kitchen to start the coffee maker. He understood completely. Each time that they managed to see each other in person, one of them had to talk the other down off of a proverbial ledge soon after. After Christmas break it was Kai who had suddenly freaked out with the realization of how different their paths were, calling Aichi in a frazzle of nerves.

_“Aichi, you are brilliant. You are learning to study the universe in a foreign language in an honors program at an American University. I am still just playing the same card game I did as a kid. How can this possibly work? Honestly, I’m just not on your level.”_

_Aichi had immediately laughed at him. “You have no inkling of how much I admire you. You know three languages fluently, and a little of two...three?...more. You are saving enough money to make whichever dream you choose a reality once you retire from the pros. You’re the best cook any of us have ever met. I’m pretty sure I don’t deserve _you_.” It had been the quickness and warm ease of his response as much as his words that had banished Kai’s demons._

Now, Kai moved the coffee pot out of the way and just held his mug under the drip to catch it to save time. “Aichi, I know this sucks. Usually, when people are stuck in long-distance relationships, they actually get to have a close distance relationship first. I’m sorry I wasn’t brave enough to tell you how I felt sooner. I thought I was doing the right thing, giving you time because you had so much going on, with your senior year and getting ready for college.”

“No, don’t,” Aichi said, softly. “I should’ve, too. We already agreed there’s no point going back. Wasting time about wasted time.” He sighed heavily. “It’s just...at least three more years of short visits and long goodbyes.”

__

“Hey. Put your moon face on, Sendou. Somehow you did it back then, and you thought it was forever. This is temporary. And we’re worth the wait, right?”

__

“Yes. But back then I didn’t know what I was missing.” Aichi almost spoke in a whisper. “I hadn’t known how your arms felt around me. I hadn’t known how your heartbeat sounded. If I had, I never could’ve left. I would have let it all burn to stay with you...”

__

Kai hissed as he jerked in shock and scalding coffee splashed his hand. He replaced the carafe and stuck his burned thumb into his mouth as he shifted his phone under his chin to carry his mug to the sofa with his good hand.

__

“Toshiki?”

__

“I’m here. I just don’t know what to say. That was…” he let out a long shaky breath. “I love you, Aichi. I’m glad you didn’t. I’m glad we have our future. And our now.”

__

“I love you too. I’m sorry about being such a bummer. I’m so tired I’m just stupid.”

__

“Don’t apologize for missing me. Well, get comfy. Make an Aichi sandwich with Wingal and your extra pillow and we’ll just talk happy things.”

__

Muffled rustling as Aichi obeyed. “Ok”

__

Kai started the game he had invented a month or so ago for the times like this when one of them needed reassurance. “Imagine it, Aichi. Will we have a cat or a dog? I like both. Cats are independent, but dogs are loyal.”

__

“Hmm…..guinea pig,” Aichi said with a muffled laugh. That sound drained the tension straight out of Kai’s shoulders and neck. “I won’t want to spare any of my attention on anything bigger when we move in together, Kai-Kun. All for you." 

__

Ah, Kai had never been so happy to hear Aichi's preferred name for him. It meant he was dropping out of emotional anxiety and back in his comfort zone. “I had a Guinea pig named Mr. Butters when I was really young. They’re cool. I tried to build him a Great Nature deck, but he chewed up a bunch of cards. Damn rodent.” He relaxed into the couch and looked out of the window, watching the sunrise paint the sky pink. “Sunrise or sunset?”

__

Aichi was still chuckling about Mr. Butters. “Easy one. Sunset. You know mornings and I aren’t on friendly terms.” He yawned, slurring his words a bit with fatigue. “Especially tomorrow’s.”

__

“Mmmm. I like sunrise better, but I'm looking forward to sunsets with you. Imagine it. We'll have a little house with a garden just far enough outside the city to be able to see your stars on clear nights after the sun sets. We can watch them as long as you want because you don’t have classes in the morning. You can tell me again about your favorite ones. In the morning I’ll come back out to the garden and cut some parsley from it to make you an omelet for breakfast. And maybe some lettuce for Mr. Butters 2. It’s okay if you want to sleep in, they’ll be other sunrises to watch together. I’ll kiss you awake whenever I see a really pretty one.” He paused, to hear how his boyfriend’s breathing had slowed, and his lips curled into a relieved smile. “Aichi?” he said. After a moment, realizing he had finally fallen asleep he whispered, “Goodnight, Aichi. Love you.”

__


	14. The Many Gifts of Toshiki Kai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sending Aichi gifts is one of Kai’s love languages.  
> Gaillard gets himself in trouble.

Aichi was letting himself into his dorm room on a Wednesday night when he heard the neighboring door open. His RA, Ralph, stuck his head out and smiled, saying “Oh, hey. I was listening for you. Hold on.” and ducked back into his room.

Aichi yelled, “Just come in, I gotta sit down,” and continued into his room, leaving the door wide open. He threw his keys and bag down, hung up his coat, and flopped down onto his bed facedown with a weary sigh.

Ralph laughed, coming in the door, saying “That bad, huh?” He sat down at Aichi’s desk. “Here. You have another package. When I went to pick up mine, they let me bring yours to save you the trip.”

Aichi cracked one eye and sat up, taking the box with a familiar logo on it. This one was unusually large. He huffed a laugh. Kai was at it again.

“That boyfriend of yours sure likes sending you presents.” Ralph eyed him enviously. “So how was your first day of work?”

“It was good. It was busy. The shop manager seemed very surprised at the turnout for my first day.” Aichi blushed. “I guess he was right about there being interest in learning from a championship winner, even if it was a few years ago and half a world away. I’m tired, though. Not used to doing anything but flopping down after class.” He blew a few strands of blue hair from where they obscured one eye.

“Well, I will let you go, then, my friend”, Ralph smiled as he got up from the chair. “Enjoy whatever _that_ is.” He pointed at the box, turning away to lock the door on his way out. Ralph was considerate like that.

Aichi thought about the gifts that had started arriving soon after Kai’s surprise November visit that had started their relationship (this phase of it, anyway). Kai had somehow made himself a U.S. Amazon account, so anything he wanted to send to Aichi arrived in two days, or sometimes even one. It had become Aichi’s custom to text his delight and/or appreciation instead of calling, because of their time zone difference. 

The first box had come a few days after that first visit; two extremely plush oversized fluffy blue bath towels.

**Kai-kun. Did you send me towels?**

**You needed them. All you had was beach towels.**

**Thank you! Why two, though? There’s just one of me. 🤔**

**So next time, we _will_ match. 😏**

😳

The second delivery, which came after Kai’s Thanksgiving visit, had contained utterly luxurious slippers. They were bright blue suede with memory foam insides, lined with thick fleece. They instantly became Aichi’s favorite clothing item. 

**Thank you for the slippers!!**

****Your feet were cold all weekend. I don’t like thinking of you cold.** **

****Aw. I love them! ❤️** **

****yw Blue is your color. When I see that shade anywhere I think of you.** **

****

****

**Kai-kun! But stop spending your money on me.🥰**

That last text had earned an instant call from Kai. He said that Aichi’s room was the saddest dorm room he had ever seen, as Aichi had only brought two suitcases with him, and had none of the comforts of home other kids had. “And Aichi, I haven’t had a normal family life since I was 9. I haven’t really had anyone to care about this much since then. Can you please let me send you things when I want, without giving me a hard time? It’s as much for _me_ as it is for you.” 

There was nothing Aichi could do but surrender. 

The next week it was a small prelit Christmas tree kit. It was two feet tall and came with a mini garland and little balls to hang on it. Aichi immediately set it up and sent a picture of it to his boyfriend. 

**Kai, thank you for the Christmas tree. It’s so pretty and festive! 🎄**

**********I’m glad you like it. Can’t wait to see you in 2 weeks.** ** ** ** **

**Me too. Maybe one day we can decorate a tree together. 🤗**

**Now you know why I send you things. Gets you thinking right. 😏**

After winter break, it was the soft, warm, red and orange comforter that was a twin to the one on Kai’s new bed in his apartment in Japan. He seemed to be trying to tie Aichi’s thoughts ever more inexorably to memories of the time they had spent together. Little did he know how unnecessary it was. Aichi replayed those memories almost daily, without any help. 

**Kai! It’s just like yours! No blue this time?**

**Nope. I have great memories of you on that thing.🔥**

**😏……….me too.**

Two weeks later it was a pair of red silk boxers. Aichi couldn’t even look at them in the box without his face turning the same color. He wasn’t sure he could send the text this time. He decided to let it go for a day. The next morning, he saw that Kai had beat him to it. 

**Cat got your tongue, Blueberry? Anything interesting in the mail?**

**Kai-Kun. They’re very….ah...provocative? 😳**

**Exactly! Don’t wear them unless I’m around and you’re trying to start something. If I see you with red boxers peeking from your jeans I will view it as utter provocation. Tread carefully, Sendou. 😉**

Aichi squirmed in delight. Kai had followed through with his promise/threat when he dared to wear them for his Valentine’s visit. 

Then last week, it was a tie. 

**Thank you for the tie, Kai. It looks familiar? ******

**I thought you might want one for your first day of work. You said you were going for how Shin dresses at the shop. I would’ve sent the one from my bedpost if I could have. 😏 Wouldn’t have come in time. This one’s as close as I could get to it**

**Ah...I’ll think of you when I wear it**

**I hope so. Good luck on your first day❤️**

Aichi brought his attention back to the large box he was holding. It was awfully light despite its huge size. He leaned over and grabbed some scissors off of his desk, slitting open the packaging tape. Inside was…...a body pillow with a full-sized pixelated scan of Kai, holding a Vanguard card before him in two fingers. His blazing eyes were staring straight ahead with the typically focused frown he had on when card fighting. It was the one that the Vanguard promotional league currently used in some of its advertising. Aichi barked out a quick laugh, putting a hand up to his mouth in shock. He couldn’t hold back his hilarity, and laughter pealed out, ringing in the confines of his small room. After a few moments, he wiped his eyes and reached for his phone. 

**Thx for the pillow. I had no idea you were on merch**

**What? I'm not on pillows...just backpacks and deck cases. Idk what you mean**

Aichi sent a pic of the pillow lying on his bed 

**Wtf I…. didn’t send that…**

**HAH who did then? I’m dying here🤣🤣😂**

**I have an idea. I’m gonna kill him**

Aichi lost it again. It would have been weird enough if Kai sent him a body pillow of himself. But if he didn’t, then who did? 

Another minute later and his phone started ringing, the display said it was Gaillard.

Gaillard? Hey how are you?” 

There was immediate raucous laughter, loud pounding, and Kai’s angry muffled voice from the speaker. “Aichi, mon ami. Did you like the pillow? It was me.” Gaillard said between gasps of laughter. “He left his laptop open to that site he is always sending you things from. So I found the most ridiculous custom pillow!” More laughing. “And I uploaded his Vanguard picture. I tried to find a picture of Toshiki Kai smiling for you, but such a thing does not exist. And now he is trying to kill me. I am locked in the bathroom. When I saw his face I ran like hell.” He devolved into choking. “Can...can you call him off? OK, I am going so you can do that. Goodbye.”

The call ended. Aichi’s stomach hurt from laughing. He called Kai. It took two tries before his boyfriend picked up. He sounded out of breath and utterly frustrated. “Aichi. He is such an ass. Why are all of my friends such asses?” 

“Don’t kill him, Kai. It’s not worth going to jail for. And I actually like the pillow a lot. It’s got your card fighting face on it. I’ve loved that face for years.” 

“Aw, Aichi.” Large sigh. “I won’t kill him. But just to make it fair, I’m going to order a pillow of you. You’ll understand how embarrassing it is.” 

“It’s okay, Kai.” Aichi laughed, “I know how to deal with embarrassment. I’ve had a lot of practice.” 


	15. Dinner & Drinks (Kai & Shizuka)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai has dinner at the Sendou house during a short visit home to Japan. He opens up to Shizuka.

_“Um, Aichi? You know how I am going back home for a few days next week during the prelims because I’m already seeded?”_

_“Mmm-hmm. Congratulations, by the way!” Aichi’s smile had transmitted itself even across the phone._

_“I was wondering. If you thought maybe I could take your mom and sister out to dinner one night while I’m there? Do you think they’d be interested? Or is that….weird without you?”_

_“Awwww! Kai-kun! That would be so great, they would both love that! I will text you mom’s number after I hang up!”_

(⊃｡•́‿•̀｡)⊃━✿✿✿✿✿✿

Kai, faced with the front door of the Sendou house, was regretting his decision now. He wanted to talk some things through with Aichi’s mother; while she was warm and polite, he sensed a wary reserve toward him that he wasn't comfortable about. A mother's intuition of how he had hurt her son years ago during Link Joker? He didn't know much about mothers, but he knew he needed Aichi's on his side. 

However, his introverted personality was screaming that this was too big of a step for him to handle. No. This was okay. This was important. He had done harder things than this. He took a deep breath and rang the bell.

It opened exactly one second later. Emi grinned up at him. “Kai! I was wondering how long you would stand out there before you were ready! Aichi is rubbing off on you, I guess.” She opened the door wide and gestured him through as she took a step back.

Kai gave her a wry smile and ruffled her hair with his free hand as he walked in. “Brat," he said fondly. He had come to like his boyfriend’s sister quite a bit; after her initial distrust a few years back, she had become quite an ally.

She took the French cheesecake he had brought as dessert, squealing, “Oooooh, did you make this?”

“Yeah,” he said, slipping his shoes off. “Fridge, please, if you can fit it.”

Aichi’s mom came into the living room with a smile to greet him with a hug, after wiping her hands on her apron. Her motherly warmth was something it had taken a while to get used to. It always brought a tightness to his chest and a kind of ache in his throat to think of how quickly she had accepted him into her small family. He hadn’t realized how badly he missed the feeling of belonging until he had gotten it back from the Sendous.

“I wish you had let me take you to a restaurant, Sendou-san. I wanted to treat you, not the other way around.”

“Toshiki, dear, it’s Shizuka, remember? And you can take us out next time when Aichi is here with us. I didn’t want to miss being able to make you a home-cooked meal while you are here. I know you are a better cook than me, but it’s nice to have someone cook for you sometimes.” She gave his shoulder a pat and headed back to finish the meal.

Kamui came out of the kitchen, chewing on a yakitori. “Hey Kai! Congrats on your bracket placement. It must be awesome to have enough of a breather to be able to come home for a few days!”

Kamui put the platter of appetizers on the coffee table, with a stack of napkins next to it. He sat on the couch, and Emi settled down next to him, half leaning into his chest comfortably, with one of Kamui’s arms around her shoulders. Kai took a mental snapshot of the scene to relate to Aichi later. He was pretty sure Emi hadn’t told her brother how close she and Kamui had apparently gotten in the last few months. 

After a bit, Shizuka called them into the kitchen to settle around the table. Shizuka always set a very casual, homey table. Anyone who happened to be in her home near dinnertime was invited to stay, so Kai had been there on a few occasions over the years, including twice over winter break. Today's dinner was miso soup, grilled amberjack, and gyoza dumplings with the ever-present tsukemono. It was a somewhat drawn-out affair, while the three young people kept stopping to relate their favorite Aichi stories, both new and old to a highly appreciative Shizuka, who always loved to hear them.

After the highly praised cheesecake was partially eaten, Shizuka and Kai headed back into the living room with their coffee, while Emi and Kamui started in on the dishes and cleanup.

“So, Toshiki, what brings you back to Japan?” asked Shizuka, curling her feet under her on the sofa.

“Well”, Kai took a slow breath, gathering his thoughts. “I had some business I wanted to take care of in person. The lease was up on my apartment, so I wanted to check on things here while I signed the new one.”

“Your houseplants are thriving here!” said Shizuka, with a gesture toward the fostered plants on the window sill. “Emi is taking her guardian duties seriously.”

“I’ll have to thank her,” he said with a chuckle. “I...uh...I also really wanted to talk to you. Without Aichi here, I mean. I really want you to understand how much he means to me, and where our relationship is heading.”

Shizuka smiled at him. “I think I know, Toshiki. At least I know my son’s feelings for you.”

“Well, I doubt he told you about my past. And it’s important to me that you know that. I just want..need, really... to get through this once, and then I’ll be able to move on.”

Kai told her, haltingly and briefly of his childhood. Meeting her son Aichi in the happy and friend-filled days of his early youth, and giving the dejected, bullied boy one of his best Vanguard cards on a whim. The death of his parents. The subsequent shuffling him around to increasingly tenuously related family members. Enrolling in new school districts time and again. Finally spending a few stable years at Fukuhara junior high with his new friend Ren Suzugamori, before that too went hopelessly sour, and he fled back here to go to high school where he had once been happy… Kai trailed off. There was utter silence. He looked away from his hands that were knotted in his lap, for the first time in half an hour and into Shizuka’s face.

She had one hand pressed into the blouse over her chest, with tear tracks on her face, eyes bleak.

“Oh, hey..” Kai said, startled. “I’m so sorry. It’s okay. _I’m_ okay. " He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I shouldn't have...."

Shizuka wiped her eyes as she stood. She lifted a forefinger up in a ‘wait’ gesture and went into the kitchen, shooing Emi and Kamui away from the doorway where both of them had been listening with wide eyes, shamelessly peeking around the doorway.

“You two get out of here," she said good-naturedly. “And leave your door open, Emi.”

They headed down the hall to Emi’s room. Kamui stopping briefly to ask “You okay, bro?”

Kai smiled at him. “I’m fine, Kamui, thanks. Old history, that’s all.”

Kamui lightly punched him on the shoulder and followed Emi.

After a short period of time consisting mainly of clinking sounds and muttering from the kitchen, Shizuka came back into the room. She put down a tray containing two short glasses filled with ice and one extremely dusty half-filled bottle of shochu. “Found it,” Shizuka said with satisfaction. She leaned forward and poured both glasses to the brim with the pungent liquor. Kai just stared at her wide-eyed.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Shizuka laughed. “This is the first time I’ve ever said this out loud, but this is my Aichi Bottle.” She put one glass in front of Kai, then took a small sip of hers and coughed a bit. “When he missed his father and he would cry himself to sleep; when he came home covered in bruises again; when he played with that card as if it were his only friend in the world, and I just... _couldn’t_... be strong anymore….this was my Aichi Bottle. Well, one in a series anyway.”

She took another sip and looked levelly at Kai. “Well, today it’s my Toshiki Bottle.” She lifted her glass and tipped it at him in an air toast. He picked up his glass and took a gulp. He felt like he was in an alternate reality, and the welcome burn grounded him a bit.

“Toshiki. I’m sorry for the pain of your past. You’ve managed to weather a lot of darkness and grow into a very fine man. I have to wonder, though, why you wanted to share this with me, though I'm glad that you did.”

Kai blushed a bit. This was actually the hardest bit. He looked her straight in the eye.

“Shizuka. I love your son. I need you to understand the depth of how I feel about him. He is a pure soul, full of light and joy, and I’m still not sure if I deserve him. Before we started dating this fall, I wasn’t sure if we would ever have this kind of relationship. I tried to give him the time and space he needed to make choices about his future without getting in his way. I will continue to wait for him, without pressuring him. But this isn't a temporary thing. I want you to know about the dark parts, because... he is both my now and my future. I...I can’t imagine going forward without Aichi. You should know that." His voice trailed off hoarsely. He put his glass down with a clink and bowed his head.

“Oh, Toshiki. Were you trying to see if I would try to warn you off? Every one of us has 'dark parts'." Shizuka sighed and got up to plop down next to him on the sofa. She hugged him tightly. “Do you see how much dust is on that bottle? Do you know how many years that thing has been buried in the cupboard? I’m guessing it’s just about how many years you’ve been back in his life.”

They sat for a moment in that embrace, tethered by, and missing, the same blue-haired boy.

When Shizuka moved away, she wiped her eyes. Kai swiped at his before looking up and taking a deep breath. “I want you to know that even though I’m just a professional card fighter, I am taking steps for the future. I have the bulk of my parent’s insurance policy and college fund put away, as well as part of my winnings. After high school, Suzugamori-san lent me the very excellent services of his personal investment banker. I had a meeting with him today. Sometimes Aichi likes to talk of a...house someday where he can see the stars.” He turned crimson. “I’d- I’d like to have that with him.”

Shizuka smiled at him fondly. “As long as it has enough room for a handful of regular visitors. That sounds lovely.”

“I’m sure that I’m not quite the sort of person you had envisioned for your son, though.” Kai swallowed and looked away. This was really the point that kept him up at night sometimes.

“You mean, a man?” Shizuka laughed softly. “Toshiki, I couldn’t be happier that the two of you found each other.” She got up and moved into the hallway. “And for grandkids, I have Emi.”

Her eyes narrowed and she yelled “But not yet!!! Emi! I told you to keep your door _open!_ ” The sound of quick running footsteps, a door opening, followed by a breathless, “Sorry, mom.”

Kai laughed. This had gone better than he had hoped. He had to remember to ask the others not to mention the heavier bits of conversation to Aichi. After all, it was time to finally lay rest to the past.


	16. Oooo la la.....a French reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai and Gaillard pick Aichi up at the airport as his spring break gets underway.

Aichi went into the employee restroom at Card College to change out of his pale blue logo button-down and tie, and into a dark red turtleneck. He blushed as he thought of how much Kai liked him in high-necked shirts. (He said it gave him a bigger canvas to work with.) He had agreed to take this Friday evening shift because it was the first day of his university’s spring break, and most other employees were long gone. The majority of his high school regulars had still shown up, as their spring break wasn’t for another week.

His plane for Paris was leaving in a little more than two hours, at 11:40 p.m, and he had already called an Uber to take him to the airport straight from work. His hands shook a bit as he folded his shirt and put it in the top of his suitcase, zipping it up. He hadn’t had more than a few hours of sleep the night before, being too excited with the anticipation of being with Kai soon. Every time they were together it just got better, and closer, and more comfortable. He was sure he’d be able to catch up on sleep on the seven-hour flight. He splashed some cold water on his face and stared at himself in the mirror. His face was flushed, his sapphire gaze bright with excitement. 

“Aichi!” yelled one of the voices from the front of the store, “I think your car is here!”

He made a face at his reflection and turned to grab his suitcase and messenger bag. He waved as he pushed his way out of the front door to a chorus of yells from the card fighters, and got into the car to officially start his break.

******************** 

Gaillard watched Kai pace around the baggage claim at Charles de Galle. He had been watching Kai pace like a caged tiger for the better part of an hour. He chuckled. Kai lately hadn’t been the same cool, aloof boy who had showed up to room with him over a year and a half ago. Gaillard cocked his head as he considered how good nervous anticipation looked on his roommate. It made him so much more human.

A door opened at the far end of the area, and Kai’s head snapped up like he’d been shot. His gaze narrowed as it flicked off of each person who walked through it, quickly dismissing them in turn. Aichi would be nearly last, Gaillard thought. He was far too small and too polite to shoulder his way through a crowd. 

Finally, Kai started moving as the crowd of new arrivals slowed to a trickle. A familiar blue head appeared and was immediately enveloped in Kai’s arms. Gaillard sighed as he pulled himself out of his chair, and headed over to the conveyor belt to look for Aichi’s suitcase. After a few rotations, the choices of luggage started to slim. He guessed it would be easy to pick out. Maybe bright blue, or covered with…..he huffed a laugh and reached for a huge battered brown hand-me-down covered with stickers: Ultra Rare, Singapore, I <3 NY, and the Vanguard logo were the ones he could see. He’d bet his best card it would have a Paris sticker on it the next time it exited this airport.

“Hey, Gaillard!” Aichi’s bright voice rang out behind him. He turned to see Aichi rising from a deep bow. 

“Mon Ami! No hug for your old knight?” Gaillard smiled. To his surprise, Aichi did indeed reach out to enfold him in a hug. 

“Good to see you!” Aichi said as Gaillard squeezed him back. “Thanks for taking care of Kai,” Aichi said into his ear, making his neck tingle, and eliciting a small shiver. 

“Anything for you, Aichi,” he replied sincerely. Kai just watched them with a raised brow.

They headed to the parking garage, Gaillard dragging the heavy wheeled suitcase, while Kai held tightly to Aichi’s hand, shouldering his messenger bag with the other. It was a sunny midafternoon Saturday here in France, and they chatted about their plans for the upcoming week. Gaillard was going to stay with Phileppe Neve for the week to give the two some privacy. It was still a workweek for Kai, so having some privacy in the evenings would be important to them. Poor Aichi just kept yawning so wide it looked like his jaw would crack.

“I’m sorry, you guys. I was hoping to finally catch some sleep on the plane, but I was too excited.” Aichi said tiredly as he climbed into the back seat of Gaillard’s Peugeot. Kai got into the backseat next to him as Gaillard whined, “Really? I am to act the chauffeur for you two?”

Aichi started to open his door to get into the front, but Kai growled and pulled him back in. “ _No._ I only have him for a week.” He pulled Aichi’s seat belt over his shoulder and clicked it, then did the same for himself. He was slightly bent over, too tall in the middle not-quite-seat, but he pulled Aichi’s head down onto his shoulder and rested his own against it.

Aichi dutifully texted various people the news that he had safely arrived and been successfully retrieved. The three chatted about Aichi’s flight, his work at the card shop, and they compared notes on current news about their friends as they drove back to the apartment, in a suburb of Paris. The plan was to let Aichi clean up and change before heading out to an early dinner, after which Gaillard would grab his bag and leave for Neve’s place. The younger boy yawned through the conversation, looking bleary-eyed but content, hand never leaving Kai’s, where their fingers folded tightly together.

At the apartment, Kai gave him a short tour while Gaillard grabbed his toothbrush and tucked a few last-minute additions into his bag. Aichi came into his room, dragging his beast of a suitcase. He blushed, tucking his hair behind his ear. “Gaillard, I really don’t want to kick you out of your own room …” he trailed off. 

“Nonsense!” Gaillard laughed. “I am to thank you for giving me a week away from your boyfriend. I have been looking forward to this. Make yourself at home, please, Aichi.” He grabbed his bags and moved to the door. “Get changed and we will take you to an early dinner.”

Gaillard eyed Kai as they sat on the sofa waiting for Aichi to reappear. He looked more relaxed than Gaillard had ever seen him; he no longer gave off the aura of a tightly coiled spring. They sat in companionable silence for another fifteen minutes, both scrolling through their phones before Gaillard got to his feet. “I’d better check to see if he needs anything.”

“Mon ami?” he questioned at the bedroom door, pausing a moment before pushing it open. He sucked in an unsteady breath as a wave of naked _longing_ swept through him. Aichi had apparently only gotten as far as getting his suitcase open on the bed and his jeans off, before succumbing to his exhaustion, being dressed only in his red turtleneck and black boxers. He lay on _Gaillard’s_ bed, one slender leg drawn up, with one hand under _Gaillard’s_ pillow. He stood frozen, breathless, for...seconds? Minutes?

Kai’s voice behind him, inches from his ear, startled him out of his daze. “Olivier….” How could one word be loaded with so much compassion? He was mortified at having let his guard down so completely and being caught out. 

Kai clapped a hand on Gaillard’s shoulder as his head shot around to meet the green gaze with dismay. “You….you knew?”

“Of course I knew. I’ve recognized that look on your face when you talk about him. I’ve seen it in the mirror for years. _He_ doesn’t know.” Kai moved past him toward the bed. “I also know that you have more honor in your pinkie than most people have in their whole body.” Kai scooped Aichi up in his arms easily and headed through Gaillard’s door into his own bedroom across the hall. Gaillard followed and watched from the doorway as he settled the younger boy into his own bed, a satisfied smile on his face as he covered him with a soft blanket. Aichi barely stirred, as Kai said softly “Can we push dinner off till tomorrow?”

Behind him, Gaillard mumbled some sort of assent as he fled the apartment.

******************** 

Aichi opened his eyes and squinted out at the world. He blinked at the orange light streaming through the window of the room and narrowed them, thinking. He drowsily ran through a mental assessment. The air in the room was cool, but his back was like a furnace, and the arm wrapped securely around his chest was a warm, solid band of contentment. _“This isn’t my dorm room, but it’s the same old dream,”_ he thought fuzzily as he settled back down, snuggling into the embrace. Maybe he could stretch it out for a few minutes longer…

"Aichi," drawled a familiar voice from behind him. "I know you're awake, I can hear you thinking... and your stomach has been growling nonstop."

Aichi rolled over so quickly, his head bashed into Kai’s nose, and Kai grabbed it, eyes watering. “Ow!” He huffed in laughter as his boyfriend whispered “Toshiki…I'm really here,” and started to pepper whatever skin he could reach with quick kisses. He couldn’t reach his mouth with Kai’s hands in the way so he worked his way to Kai’s earlobe and bit down on it, which rewarded him with a groan.

“Gaillard?” Aichi questioned breathlessly as he paused in his fevered explorations.

“Gone.” Kai bit out. Aichi hummed in approval.

Kai gave his wounded nose a last squeeze and wrapped his arms around him. Aichi pulled himself up on his elbows over Kai and pushed him into the mattress. He sucked hard on Kai’s lower lip, eliciting a gasp, before licking at it. Kai opened his mouth to tangle his tongue with Aichi’s and….they both froze as Aichi’s stomach let out a fierce lingering growl.

Aichi turned scarlet. Kai chuckled and pressed one last quick kiss onto his lips as he pushed Aichi aside and moved to roll off of the bed. Aichi clung to his arm. “Kai-Kun, no…..”

“When’s the last time you ate something?” He padded over and fished around in his dresser, pulling out a worn pair of grey sweatpants. “Never mind, I probably won’t like the answer.” He came back over to the bed, pushing the sweats into his pouting boyfriend’s slack hand.

“C’mon Blueberry,” he said as he leaned over and kissed his boyfriend on the forehead. He stayed there with his lips pressed into Aichi’s forehead as he said in a low growl “Let me cook you something, you’re going to need your strength…” and smiled wolfishly.


	17. A Lazy Kaichi Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some lazy, fluffy, cuddly Kaichi. Nothing else to see here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol I just realized how often I have chapters containing Aichi waking up in bed and Kai waiting for him to wake up. Sleepy boi. How on earth does he get to class on time? Maybe Emi calls him?

It was late the next morning when Aichi awoke with the sun streaming annoyingly onto one closed eyelid. By the footsteps in the kitchen and the sound of bags crinkling, Kai coming back home from a shopping excursion must have been what awakened him. He groaned and stretched, aching in muscles that normally didn’t. He smiled and dug his head into the pillow, remembering how they had gotten that way.

A few moments later, the side of the bed dipped and a kiss was pressed onto the top of one ear, which was the only kissable part visible at the moment. “Mmmm,” Aichi hummed.

“C’mon sleepyhead, it’s almost eleven, don’t waste the day,” Kai said.

Aichi rolled over and captured Kai, pulling him down and snuggling into his side.

“No!” he said. “I deserve _one_ day. It’s Sunday, it’s spring break, and I want you to be lazy with me.”

Kai sighed and settled into the pillow, snaking one arm under Aichi’s head. “Can’t really argue with that.” His thumb started to roll slow lazy circles into Aichi’s shoulder. “I brought coffee and breakfast though, so sooner rather than later, Sendou.”

Aichi scrunched up his face. “Ew. You know I’m not a coffee person.” Adding under his breath, “Although you keep trying…”

“Yeah, well you might like this. I told Giselle to give me a large hot frothy something that the high school girls like. I don’t know what it is, but it smells really sweet.” He wrinkled his nose.

“Hmm….yum...maybe.” Aichi half sat up, in interest. “And who’s Giselle?”

Kai chuckled when he noticed that his boyfriend didn’t mind his tastes being likened to those of a high school girl’s. “Giselle is the Sunday barista at the cafe I go to on the corner. Incidentally, her eyes almost popped out of her head when I ordered your drink. I’ve only ever ordered black, for me and Gaillard. I could tell she wanted to ask if I had a high school girl holed up in here. I told her it was for my boyfriend. I think I need to take you down and introduce you later so she doesn’t call the police.”

Aichi laughed. “I don’t know if that’s funny or insulting, or both. You should take me there, though. I want to know your routines, too.” He blushed faintly. “Can we have breakfast in bed?” He reached up to peck a quick kiss onto Kai’s chin.

Kai sighed. It went against every bone in his fastidious body, but “Just this once. And NO crumbs!” He rolled out of bed to retrieve the pastries.

Half an hour later, he swept the crumbs off onto the floor as he made the bed, while Aichi took a long shower. He resolved to stand his ground against Aichi next time; he was getting too soft. He sighed. At least he had liked his floofy drink.

He retrieved a large manilla envelope from his bag, sat on the floor behind the coffee table, and started to scan the contents and sort them into piles.

Ten minutes later, Aichi flopped across from him, barefoot in slim jeans and an oversized grey sweatshirt with _Property of Vanguard U_ emblazoned on it, toweling his hair.

Kai eyed him and snorted. “Nice shirt.” He kissed his fingertip and reached across the table to smooth it against a bruise peeking out of it on Aichi’s collarbone. “Sorry,” he said, his tiny smirk belying his words.

Aichi laughed. “You are not!” and threw the wet towel at him. “And this shirt was free from my job. I’m a poor college student, I take what I can get.” He looked at the piles of mail on the table. “What is all this?”

“Fan mail. Part of the official duties of a ranked European Circuit member. They get delivered to HQ. They dump the ones addressed individually to us every other Monday, but I usually save dealing with it till it's due because I hate it.” He pointed, as he spoke, to various piles. “Requests, usually for card fighting and deck advice for my clan.” That one was the largest. “Girls professing undying love.” That one was the next biggest. “Pure Fanguard mail,” and finally, “Hate mail,” at the shortest stack, containing two letters.

“Oh my….really?” Aichi’s voice squeaked as his hand hovered, not knowing which he wanted to read first. He dove into the ‘girls professing undying love stack’ first. After scanning a few, his color rose, and he quietly put them back, straightening the stack. “Um...wow. I didn’t know people could talk like that to perfect strangers….I couldn’t even say most of these things to _you_.”

He laughed uncomfortably and went to the hate mail pile next. Kai’s hand shot out and caught him by the wrist. “Don’t.” He said quietly. “Those go straight to the trash. It usually only takes reading the first sentence. I never get all the way through them.”

“Uh...okay.” Aichi read through some of the Fanguard stack next. “Aw, these are nice. They really like you. Everything from your hair to the way you call your cards…..this one says he started playing because of you…...hey, so did I ! Aww!” He laughed. “ _I_ should send you fan mail!

Aichi sat up, with purpose. “Kai-Kun, what do you need to do with them? I can help so you can finish faster and be lazy with me.”

Kai explained that he addressed envelopes and gave various printed Vanguard pro tip pamphlets or deck building guides to the ones requesting help, and promotional cards of himself to the Fanguard and the girls. “I’m supposed to give these cringy headshots to the girls, but I just can’t. We get bonuses for how much fan mail we send back, but they don’t need to know what I’m stuffing into the envelopes, they just need to count them.” He looked militant. “Everything gets a signature.”

“Oh...oh! Can I have a promo card and a h-headshot?” Aichi asked, with huge eyes. “ _Please_?” He reached into the box of custom Vanguard cards labeled ‘Dragonic Overlord, Toshiki Kai’ and scooped out a few. “Ooooo,” he said quietly as he examined them closely. It was the picture that Gaillard had put on his custom body pillow, with some added color text.

Kai eyed him and got up to go find where he had hidden the untouched box of the flirtatious portraits he had gotten from the promotional department, and never used. As he disappeared down the hallway, he called “Yeah, but don’t let anybody at home see it….OR Gaillard.”

He returned and tossed a 5x7 glossy photo of himself onto the table in front of Aichi, who squealed and picked it up carefully by the edges. In the picture, Kai stared intently out with a bit of a smirk, his hands making a heart shape up at his shoulder. Aichi’s mouth made a little o as he stared at it, then hugged it to his chest and looked at his boyfriend with shining eyes. Kai was crimson. He yelled, “Argh, don’t look at me like that.” and picked up a pillow from behind him and hid his face. “I hate it, I hate it, I hate it,” he mumbled.

“Well, I like it. A _lot_ ” Aichi said with reverence, “I’m just glad you don’t actually send these to anybody.”

Just as Aichi was about to start stuffing envelopes, his phone rang. “Oh. Hey, Mom.” Aichi chirped. “Yeah, everything’s okay. I’m helping Kai do fan mail.” He held the phone toward Kai and said in a stage whisper, “Say hi, Kai.”

“Hi, Shizuka!” Kai said loudly, forcing a jovial tone. Aichi shot him an incredulous look.

Aichi put the phone back up to his ear and grinned. “She says hi back!” He got up and roamed leisurely away, describing Kai’s apartment to her. Aichi always roamed while on the phone. A minute or two later, he came back out of the kitchen, gesturing with something in his free hand as he continued chattering. Ah, he found the Pocky Kai bought him this morning. Aichi caught him looking and made a detour into the living room to poke a stick of the chocolatey treat between Kai’s lips before rambling away again.

Kai smiled around it at his retreating back, a wave of love going through him at how comfortable and right it felt having Aichi here with him, in his space. He got back to work.

Sometime later, Aichi came padding back into the room, trailing the comforter from Gaillard’s bed. Kai cocked an eyebrow at him, trying to figure out what he was up to now, as he kept up his quick pace of addressing envelopes. He was done with the stuffing part already and was so close to finishing. So much for Aichi helping him, he thought wryly.

Aichi folded the plush blanket in half and put it on the carpet right in a bright rhombus of midday sun beating through the window. He got both of their cell phones and lined them up neatly next to the blanket. He went back through the hallway, returning with two pillows, arranging them at the top, and finally curled up on it like a cat. “My mom likes you a lot,” Aichi said with satisfaction. “You must have been on your best behavior at dinner that day!.” He scooted back a bit on the blanket, leaving a Kai-sized void next to him.

“I hope she likes me, she’s stuck with me if I have anything to say about it.” Kai smiled. “What are you doing, anyway?”

“Don’t be dense, Kai-Kun, I’m setting a trap.” Aichi laughed and crooked a finger in his direction.

Kai shot an exasperated look at him and worked silently for the next few minutes, finally throwing the last envelope on the finished stack. He stretched and capped his red sharpie, shaking out his sore writing hand. He dropped down on all fours and prowled over to Aichi’s nest, flopping down into what was clearly meant to be his spot. He dropped a kiss onto Aichi’s nose, as the younger boy giggled, “Hah! It worked. I caught a Kai-Kun.”

Kai threw an arm over Aichi’s waist, pulling him tight and burying his head in the crook of his neck. “Sometimes you have good ideas,” Kai whispered. He nuzzled Aichi’s neck under his ear “Mmm you smell like my soap.” They stayed that way for a while, absorbing the sun’s heat and listening to each other’s breathing, in utter peace.

“We’re supposed to go out to dinner with Gaillard, remember?” Kai mumbled sleepily later into Aichi’s neck.

Aichi shivered at the reverberation and whispered back, “Do you think he’d mind if we pushed it off till tomorrow? I’m just too happy here.”

Kai snorted. “I don’t care if he does mind, hand me my phone. I’ll text him.”

He shot off a brief text and snuggled back down. A few moments later, his phone dinged, and Aichi picked it up and read it out loud without getting up. “NP, I already made other plans, I knew you weren’t letting go of him today. No excuses tomorrow, though, Neve’s coming too.”

Kai huffed a laugh into Aichi’s neck. “Are you hungry? I have stuff for sandwiches and strawberries.”

“Not yet, Kai. Let’s just stay here like this till our sun goes.”

“Mmmm-hmm.” Kai mumbled drowsily as he pulled Aichi in and sighed in contentment.


	18. Aichi's Playlist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aichi's playlist consists of songs older than him.  
> Kai and Aichi spend the day at the European Circuit headquarters, then finally have dinner with friends (old & new)

The next morning found Aichi uncharacteristically wide awake and chipper as he bopped around the apartment, getting ready to accompany Kai for the day to the European Circuit headquarters. Kai had explained that once you were in the top ranks of the league, the resources of the E.C. were fully available to the players and included state-of-the-art tables, computers with Vanguard player and card databases, lounges, coaches, stylists, and even language tutors. It was up to the player how much time they wanted to spend there, but most put a lot of time in, trying to retain their competitive edge. Moreover, popularity increased compensation, through paid appearances and a cut of merchandise sales. Some well-loved lower-ranked players earned more than the tournament winners this way, so it all paid off. It was also where the most competitive practice was found, as the best players congregated there.

Aichi had settled on jeans, a cobalt blue button-down with the sleeves rolled up and the tie Kai had bought him. Kai said that Mondays were for meetings at the E.C. so he was dressed similarly. Kai had meetings on metrics, mail, schedules, and scouting today. The rest of his week wasn’t as structured, he just had an appearance at a high school for the first half of the day tomorrow, and then his time was mostly his own. 

Kai followed the sound of Aichi’s blaring phone into the small bathroom. He leaned against the doorframe, smiling, and admired his boyfriend swinging his hips from side to side as he sang along to the lyrics into a hairbrush at the mirror. 

_“Every little thing I do  
Never seems enough for you  
You don't want to lose it again  
But I'm not like them”_

He finally sensed Kai looking at him, and blushed, turning the sound down. Kai moved behind him, wrapping his arms around Aichi’s waist, admiring how they looked together in the mirror.

“I didn’t know you were into music. What are you listening to?”

“Oh, ah. It’s my 90’s boyband pop playlist. Only the old stuff on the app is free. I used to use it at university for background noise to study and accidentally learned it all.” His eyes slid away and he shrugged self-consciously. “I was lonely. It helped.”

Kai felt a pang of melancholy and pushed it away. “Mmmm. You missed your calling, you’ve got moves.”

Aichi giggled as Kai stepped back and looped a lanyard over his neck. Aichi said “ooooo, so official!” and immediately twisted the visitor pass around to read it out loud: ‘Vanguard European Circuit V.I.P Aichi Sendou’. Aichi laughed, “Hey, did you know I’m a V.I.P.? “

“Yes. Yes, I did.” Kai responded seriously and dropped a kiss on the top of his head.

“C’mon, hurry up if you still want to walk instead of taking the metro. You can meet Emma, the Monday girl at the cafe, and get one of your floofy drinks. Bring your cards, I have a feeling you’ll be in hot demand. It’s not every day a top player wanders in. New blood.”

“Ooo, make it a large. I want one of those raisin buns, too!” Aichi wrinkled his nose as they gathered their bags and left the apartment. “I’m not a top player, anymore, Kai-kun.”

“We’ll see,” Kai smirked. “Your pass is keyed to record your results while you’re in the building.”

They walked, hands interlaced, down to the corner. (Aichi had nervously asked if he was sure he was willing to be so open. Kai had replied emphatically that he had nothing to hide.)

A few minutes later, they stepped into the cafe to place their order. “Emma, this is my boyfriend Aichi on vacation from the States. Aichi, Emma.” 

Aichi bowed a bit. “Nice to meet you!” The girl smiled falteringly and nudged another crestfallen employee next to her, as Kai ordered for them both, oblivious, as usual, to the hearts breaking behind the counter.

Aichi inwardly smirked. _“Mine.”_ he thought.

****

The E.C. building was a pleasant older stone one, smaller than Aichi had thought it would be. A permanent blush stained his cheeks, as Kai stubbornly held his hand through numerous introductions that Aichi had no chance of remembering. If anyone was shocked by their closeness, they didn’t show it.

Gaillard and Neve arrived together a short time later. Neve greeted Aichi warmly while Gaillard made crude jokes about Aichi finally being able to escape the apartment. “Mon Ami! Are you well? Do you need saving from this brute?” He pulled Aichi’s collar down, apparently looking for evidence of said brutality, and Kai knocked his arm away with a scowl. 

“Boys…stop,” Neve said with a long-suffering air. “ Aichi, we are still on for dinner tonight, I hope? I look forward to catching up with you.” 

After securing Aichi’s assent, they moved away, their place being immediately taken by an energetic boy with a mop of white hair, golden eyes, and a huge grin. ‘Is this him, Kai?” he asked excitedly. Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed Aichi’s hand and pressed it. “Amigo, I am Jaime Alcarez, a good friend of Kai’s. It is so good to finally meet you.”

Kai huffed a laugh and said _“Good_ friend?” under his breath, as Aichi gave him a warning nudge with his shoulder.

Jaime, without letting go of Aichi’s hand turned and scanned the room, finally shouting “Miguel! Over here!” He turned back, bright-eyed to Aichi. “You must meet Miguel Torres. He is from Spain, like me! He is being scouted by the European league, and I am his guide for the week. You can hang out together while we have our boring meetings!”

Miguel tripped on a loose shoelace as he came up to them, all blond and blue-eyed with an air of easy-going nonchalance. Aichi disengaged his hand from Jaime’s and greeted him. The group talked easily for a bit; Vanguard, as always, being the icebreaker.

Kai’s phone chirped a short alarm, and he turned toward his boyfriend. “Gotta go. I’ll find you later. You’re free to roam around anywhere with an open door. Play some cards, check out the lounges. Do you need money for the vending machines?” Aichi shook his head. “Okay, text me.” He pecked a quick kiss onto a pink-cheeked Aichi’s lips, while the other two boys watched the exchange with unabashed interest.

“Aichi, I don’t have to attend the noon meeting, can I take you to lunch with my amigo? I will meet you both by the front door!” Jaime didn’t wait for a reply, dragging Kai away towards the stairs, presumably to where the meeting rooms were on the second floor. 

Miguel laughed a bit, watching them go. “He’s always like that.” He turned towards Aichi and raised a brow. “Paladins, right? I’m Musketeers. Want to play?”, and led him towards an open table.

**********

Kai checked on Aichi throughout the day.

After his first meeting, he texted “You good?”

Aichi replied a few minutes later “Yup. Don’t worry about me! ”

After his second meeting, he easily found Aichi because he was at the center of a large knot of spectators. He was playing the Serbian National Champion. She hardly spoke any English, but they looked to be having a grand time despite their language barrier. Kai lounged against the wall near the vending machines, drinking the can of coffee he had just bought. After he won the match, Aichi shuffled and reset his cards, waiting for the spectators to work out which one of them would fight him next. He sensed Kai’s gaze, finding him unerringly and giving him a small wave, his eyes shining. Kai smiled and tipped the can at him in a toast. He sighed. It was almost time for his next meeting. He pushed off the wall and went back upstairs.

During his lunch meeting, he got a text from Jaime. It was a crooked selfie of Aichi, Jaime, and Miguel squished together to fit in frame at a patio table covered with bowls of paella, tortillas, and….was that an empty sangria bottle? He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. How did they make it all the way across the city to Jaime’s favorite restaurant, and why were they drinking at noon?

Aichi texted a moment later “Don’t worry, I just tasted it. 👍😬” Kai let out a snort, interrupting the meeting, and had to mutter “Ah, sorry.”

Finally, after his last long meeting of the day let out, he stretched and went on a hunt to retrieve his boyfriend, after texting him and getting no reply. He didn’t seem to be on the main floor. Kai scanned his I.D. near a tablet and checked today’s stats. He smiled to see that Aichi had played thirteen matches today, losing none of them. He went back upstairs to check the lounges. Kai finally found him in the United Sanctuary lounge. There were about a dozen people there, paying court while Aichi apparently talked through his Paladin deck-building mechanics, relaxed and easy. They had pushed all of the chairs near him in a semicircle. He met Kai’s eye immediately and wrapped up his impromptu seminar to a chorus of dismay.

Kai took his hand and guided him out. “How was your day? I saw you didn’t lose any matches. Told you.”

Aichi smiled happily. “Ah, it was mostly luck. I’d seen some of their playstyles before, from watching competitions, but hardly anybody knew mine.”

“Mmm-hmm, sure.”

As they headed to the restaurant to meet Gaillard and Neve for dinner, they lapsed into a companionable silence after running out of the events of the day to share. Aichi fumbled with his phone. “Do you mind if I play music?”

Kai looked at him indulgently. “Go ahead. Boybands again?”

“Ah...no. Traveling music playlist”

 _"Making my way downtown  
Walking fast, faces pass and I'm homebound  
Staring blankly ahead  
Just making my way  
Making a way through the crowd_"

Aichi squeezed his hand halfway through the song, looking up at him with a blush. “Kai-kun, I've always thought of you when I listen to this song.” He turned the sound up.

" _If I could fall into the sky  
Do you think time would pass me by?  
Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles  
If I could just see you tonight_"

Kai responded by pushing him into a niche between buildings and kissing him senseless. Somebody behind them good-naturedly yelled “Vous deux, prenez une chambre!” amid catcalls.

***********

Dinner was a long, jovial affair. With a loooooooot of wine. Jaime had invited himself and Miguel along, and every time Kai wasn’t looking, somebody sloshed more wine into Aichi’s glass in some sort of unspoken game.

The conversation eventually worked its way back into the past as it does when old friends meet up.

Jaime and Miguel excused themselves for the night, sensing that they were _de trop_ for this trip down memory lane, promising to meet up later in the week.

“I’m so glad we are all here together, now,” Neve said solemnly, leaning his chair back onto two legs “I had never imagined when we went to that base to seal Aichi away, that any of us would have a normal future. Or that we could become close friends.”

They all toasted to that. Aichi got the giggles, predictably being somewhat past his tipsy point.

“We haven’t had to save the world in what, like two years? Yay!!!”

Kai shot Aichi a Look, realizing how drunk he was getting. He wordlessly took Aichi’s wineglass out of his hand, replacing it with his untouched water glass.

“Yes, true,” Gaillard said. “I wonder if all of the trouble is over. If we will ever be called on again, or if it would be someone else's problem?”

Kai said carefully, “Ibuki said that they are monitoring a young man named Shindou Chrono. He hangs out with his friends at Card Capital 2. He has a time-based deck no one has seen before. They call him the Singularity.”

The rest of the table erupted in immediate hilarity.

“The Singularity?” Aichi squeaked. “Did we all have weird nicknames we didn’t know about? What was mine?”

A chorus of names chimed out from each of them simultaneously. “The blusher” “The shy one” “just Aichi” “Kai’s boyfriend” “Moon boy” “The Vanguard”

Aichi, gasping for breath after laughing too hard pointed at Gaillard “Do him. Do him.”

“The Frenchman” “Stick-up-his-ass” “Ring boy” “GayLord”

Gaillard exclaimed “Quelle? si vulgaire! What about him?” pointing at Neve.

“Nature Boy” “Animal lover” “the quiet one”

When they turned towards Kai, he glared at them murderously “Nope.” he said.

“Aw…” Aichi giggled. He got up from his chair and plopped back down onto Kai’s lap, pulling him down by his loosened tie for a sloppy kiss. “The Party Pooper,” he said between smooches. “Toshiki-kun.” More off-center kisses, his voice lowered “My mate.”

Gaillard turned to Neve, and said, too loudly “Well if they are going to start with that shit, it is time for us to call it a night, my friend.”

As the men gathered up their things and settled the bill, Aichi pulled up the app he had been using all night that let him buy songs to play over the restaurant speakers. They walked out with Aichi laughing uproariously, while his music played, singing along raucously and waving at the amused patrons.

_"I know that I can't take no more  
It ain't no lie  
I want to see you out that door  
Baby bye bye bye_

Kai tried to look disgusted as he steered Aichi out the door, but the gleam in his eye and a tiny smirk betrayed him. Aichi was happy so he was happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics by NSYNC & Vanessa Carlton


	19. Ren Gets Feelings (But most of them are Aichi's)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aichi and Gaillard visit the orphanage!  
> Things go downhill (like usual) when Ren calls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SOOOO this chapter loosely came from an idea Lady_Lizz had that Ren and Aichi might still have some Psyqualia remnants later in life, even long distance and what that might look like. She wrote a fic on it that she won't post because it was a little suggestive. (It was delicious.)  
> I'm borrowing the idea to torture Kai with it, because giving Kai grief is how I roll.

Gaillard let himself into the apartment he usually shared with Kai and yelled, “Aichi? I am here!”

Aichi came out of Kai’s room with a smile. “Oh hey, Gaillard. Is it weird to have to announce yourself in your own apartment?” He ducked his head, pushing his hair back behind an ear. “Ah-- sorry again about that.”

“Nonsense, mon ami. I told you it feels as if I am on vacation from Kai. How are _you_ feeling after last night?”

Gaillard went into his room to pack some extra things to get him through the week, Aichi following. “I’m okay. Just a little headache. You know Kai. He made me drink a bunch of water and take aspirins before he let me go to bed.”

Gaillard laughed again. “Yes, well, one of the very few points in his favor is that he takes good care of you. And it’s about time, too.”

They set off for the orphanage. When Aichi had discovered that Gaillard usually spent his Tuesdays there, he asked if he could come along, since Kai had an appearance at a high school today. “I’ll catch up with you later,” Kai had said early this morning, after kissing Aichi awake. “Don’t fall back asleep, I don’t want Gaillard finding you in bed.”

When they got there, the boys and girls were overjoyed to see them both. Some of them remembered Aichi from when he had visited a few years before, to recruit Gaillard as a Quatre Knight. Most of the older children spoke some English, and they helped translate for him with the kids that didn’t. The weather was warm and sunny for early spring, and they played tag and cops and robbers for a bit. When they moved inside to play Vanguard, Aichi, out of breath from the exercise, produced five extra French-language starter decks for kids who wanted to try them out. He had two Angel Feathers, two Oracle Think Tanks, and a Genesis.

“Aichi! Where did you get those?” Gaillard asked with surprise.

“Oh, ah, you know that huge bulk box in the United Sanctuary lounge? Jaime said it was just extra stuff nobody wanted, and I had the time yesterday, so I built a few…” he trailed off. “What?” he asked, as Gaillard just smiled at him with shining eyes.

“Oh, nothing.” Gaillard replied, “I’m in that room quite a bit, and it never occurred to me to do that for them.”

They spent a few happy hours playing cards and mentoring the kids in Vanguard. Some of them were pretty good, but Aichi wasn’t surprised because they had Gaillard as a teacher. A loud rumble sounded and a small red-faced girl yelled “I’m hungry, when’s the pizza getting here?”

Gaillard checked his phone. “Ah, your delivery guy is running late. Just about 10 more minutes.” He got a few of the older kids to help him clean off the massive old wooden tables and set up paper plates and drinks.

A chorus of yells and greetings suddenly rang out, as the kids got up and rushed towards the door. “Uncle Kai, why are you late?” A shrill voice cut across the murmur.

Aichi looked up, startled, as his boyfriend carefully entered, peering around the obstacle of the six large pizza boxes he carried, moving around children in a practiced way to deposit them on the table. 

“Uncle Kai?” Aichi said in confusion. 

“Oh, he’s Gaillard’s friend.” said a pre-teen girl who had stayed behind to help Aichi sort and stack the discarded cards back into proper decks. “He buys us pizza every Tuesday and plays cards with us. He used to be kind of scary, but he smiles a lot more now.” She shot Aichi a side-eye and blushed. “He’s cute when he smiles.”

“Yes, he sure is…” Aichi had had no idea that Kai came here and visited the orphans, much less bought them pizza once a week. He _melted._

Kai caught him looking, as he opened up and arranged the boxes. He shook his head in exasperation at Aichi’s marshmallow expression and rolled his eyes. 

After they each finished their self-assigned tasks, Kai and Aichi gravitated toward each other to sit at an empty table in the far corner of the room. Kai put a heaping plate of pepperoni slices in front of the smaller boy. “Wanna share?” he said gruffly.

Aichi answered by picking a piece up and biting it. ‘So, ah, you’re a regular here? You never said…”

“Well, it never came up.” Kai cut him off, embarrassed. “Don’t look at me like I’m some kind of hero. I owe them. And Gaillard.”

Aichi let it drop, remembering how angry Gaillard had been at Kai about his role in the Link Joker fiasco. They ate in companionable silence, each poking at their phones.

Aichi giggled down at his, fingers tapping quickly in response to a text alert.

“Who’s that?” Kai asked.

“It’s Ren. He says hi.” Aichi kept tapping away. 

Kai just replied with a ‘Humph.”

“I’ll tell him you said hi back.”

Aichi laughed again, as he read the next reply. His laugh devolved into choking and he got up. “I’m going to grab some drinks, be right back.”

Aichi’s phone pinged again, on the table. Kai couldn’t help himself, he craned his neck over to read it. He trusted Ren….not at all. Not a centimeter.

**I’m just saying, this week has been the first PQ Ping I’ve gotten from you in a while. Glad to feel a happy one!**

Kai swore viciously under his breath, pulled the phone toward him, and re-read it, with a growing sense of dread.

Aichi returned with two cups of tepid soda. His smile died as he saw Kai’s expression.

Kai turned the phone toward him, his face twisted in anger. “PQ Ping? Is that Psyqualia? What the _hell_ is this, Aichi?”

“Well, it’s complicated.” Aichi’s cheeks reddened and he looked away. “Ren and I...found out that we have some sort of...bond, I guess you’d say. He can pick up on my emotions when they’re super strong. He calls it a Psyqualia Ping. It started after we got back from the moon thing...maybe him being right there when the seed split, together with the Psyqualia?… Anyway, we thought it might go away when I came to America, but it… didn’t.”

He looked back at Kai, eyes begging him to understand.

“I _don’t_ understand.” Kai snarled at him, rising from his seat and slamming both hands on the table in frustration. “How could you not tell me? You _know_ how I feel about him!”

Aichi’s eyes flashed in sudden anger. “Maybe because I _know_ how you feel about him!” He leaned forward and hissed “Maybe because It. Never. Came. Up.” 

Kai reeled back in shock as Aichi angrily threw the words he had casually spoken a few moments before back in his face. It was absolutely the first time Aichi had ever spoken to him in anger.

Gaillard rushed up, pulling Aichi back a few steps. “Hey. Hey, you are scaring the children.”

Kai and Aichi both ignored him, glaring at each other and breathing heavily. A thready voice called out into the silence “Uncle Kai...why are you scary again?”

Kai looked sharply to his right at the rows of children sitting still and watching the scene in silence. He jabbed a finger at Gaillard growling “Get him home safe”. He grabbed his jacket and phone and strode out the door.

Kai walked quickly, mindlessly, heedless of direction. He felt betrayed. _How_ could Aichi have some weird secret connection with Ren, and _why_ wouldn’t he have said anything? He walked until the hottest edge of his anger wore off, and he thought he could speak coherently again. He called Ren.

“Kai!” Ren chirped. “I’d say this is a surprise, but I just got a wave of anger from Aichi so strong it physically _hurt_ a bit, and _that_ was new, so…”

“Cut the crap, Ren.” Kai snarled. “Explain.”

Ren sighed and explained that after they had gotten Aichi back, he started to feel faint twinges of emotion occasionally that did _not_ belong to him. He didn’t put it together until he was standing next to Aichi at Kai’s going away party over a year ago when he left for France.

“And _oh_ , there was no mistaking that pain; what was intruding in my head matched what was on Aichi’s face perfectly! He was embarrassed, but we talked through the timeline and figured it out. PQ Pings!”

Kai ran a hand through his hair, pulling when he reached the ends, painfully. He felt like he was going crazy.

“Can he feel _yours?_ ” he spat out.

“Feelings? Hmmm. Interestingly, no. _He_ thinks it’s one way. _I_ am fairly sure it’s just that I don’t have strong enough emotions.” He giggled. “Maybe someday…”

Kai growled “Dammit Ren, this isn’t funny. I wouldn’t expect _you_ to be honest, but how could _he_ keep this from me?”

“Toshiki Kai.” Ren’s voice turned instantly cutting. “You listen to me. If you dare hurt that boy…”

He paused and took an audible breath, then started again, speaking very coldly and precisely, in that voice of his that used to send a shiver through Kai, back when they were younger; the one that had made Kai cut and run.

“ _I_ didn’t ask for this. _Aichi_ did not ask for this. I have never _worried_ about someone before. I do not _like_ it.” A pause, and this time with a tiny waver “And I have _never_ lied to you.”

Kai huffed a disbelieving laugh.

Ren continued in a silkier tone. “Hey, Kai. When you came up with your grand plan of giving him _space._ Giving him _time_. Did you bother letting _him_ know that you’d be back for him someday? When _you_ were ready?”

Kai dropped his head, taking the words like a blow. “...No…” 

“He went off to college in a foreign country, brave but alone. But he didn’t have any of his friends, his family, his _mate_. He was lonely, Kai. Unbearably sad. And I couldn’t tune him out. Of course, I’d try to cheer him up. Why do you think I called you out of the blue and tried to talk you into surprising him last fall when you were so nearby on your tour? For _ulterior motives?”_ He laughed harshly. “And don’t you _dare_ ever tell him _that_ conversation happened.” 

“Ren…” Kai’s anger had subsided into something like shame. “The valentines?” 

“Getting smarter, Kai. Yes, he was getting pretty low again, after seeing you at winter break and getting a taste of things he can't have. I dropped into Card Capital and suggested to Misa-Q that she organize something to cheer him up. _I_ sent one, knowing that making him laugh is all I could do. And he could only ever laugh at _my_ flirting. Because it’s always been _you._ ” 

Kai flopped down onto a park bench, anger burned out. He didn’t know what to say. They sat in silence for a full minute. 

“Kai.” Ren’s voice was almost back to normal. “I wish you wouldn’t mistrust me so. My bark has always been worse than my bite. Oh, wait, you wouldn’t know that because you’ve never let me close enough to feel my teeth!” He giggled “Your loss!” 

Kai sighed, ignoring that last bit of stupidity. “I-I’m sorry. Thank you for looking after him. I was an idiot. I-I’ve never done any of this before.” 

Ren laughed again, “None of us have, Kai. Figure it out.” 

“I will. I am.” 

“Good. You know, you’re always going to have to share him. He’s our friend, the best of us, our Vanguard. You’d better get comfortable with that. And if it makes you feel better, the PQ Pings are getting fainter as time goes on. I don’t doubt sooner or later, they’ll go away.” His tone finally turned back to classic flippant Ren as he purred “When will you two be back for the summer, anyway? I have no one to flirt with, and I’m so borrrrred.” 

Kai pinched the bridge of his nose. “Late May. And don’t you think maybe it’s just time to grow up and put Asaka out of her misery?” 

Ren giggled delightedly “Mmmm. that’s a thought. Go find your boyfriend. You’d better apologize on your knees, Overlord.” 

Kai hung up without responding. 

As he made his way home he got a short text from Gaillard. **We’re home. I’ll stay till you get back.**

**Thx, G. omw**

A moment later he added:  
**I’m sorry.**

_**************************_

__As Kai let himself into his apartment, Gaillard met him at the door, carrying his bag. He looked intently into Kai’s face. Content with whatever he found there, he squeezed Kai’s arm and left wordlessly._ _

__Kai hung his jacket and keys, slipping his shoes off, and headed into the living room. Aichi was sitting with his legs curled under him, holding an untouched glass of wine. (Gaillard needed to learn wine didn’t fix everything). He met Kai’s eyes calmly, and put it down on the coffee table, holding his arms out to his boyfriend. Kai went over to sit on the floor in front of him, burying his face into Aichi’s chest, as the arms wrapped tightly around him._ _

__“You okay?” Aichi asked quietly._ _

__“Yeah. I’m sorry.”_ _

__“Me too. I should have told you, no matter how hard it was.” He dropped a kiss onto Kai’s head and left his chin resting there. “ Well, at least we got through our first fight.”_ _

__“That wasn’t a fight Aichi, that was me being an ass. Can we talk about the… bond... later?”_ _

__“Yes. I wish you wouldn’t be jealous. There’s nothing to be jealous _about._ I mean, I have to ignore all of those girls all of the time.” Kai pulled away with an incredulous look._ _

__Aichi laughed at it. “Yeah, I know you’re oblivious. Onion ring girls, cafe girls, orphans...I’m not jealous because I know you don’t want them. Like I don’t want Ren… or anybody but you.”_ _

__Kai buried his face back into Aichi and said in a muffled voice “Are the kids okay, or can I never show my face again?”_ _

__He felt Aichi’s chest move in silent laughter. “Nah, we told them we were putting on a little play, and Uncle Kai was pretending to be Dragonic Overlord. I was Blaster Blade and chased him away. They liked that. You might have to work that into your regular Tuesday repertoire.”_ _

__“I don’t deserve you, Aichi Sendou.”_ _

__“Well keep trying. I have hope for you, Toshiki Kai.”_ _


	20. Aichi's Makeover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai gets called into a meeting for the Vanguard Zero mobile TCG, leaving Aichi with nothing to do.  
> He gets appropriated by a bored Europe Circuit stylist for an impromptu makeover.  
> Will Kai approve of edgy Aichi?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Ah...uh....is that eyeliner?" Aichi squeaked. "That might be going a little too far, don't you think?"
> 
> "Oh, sit still Aichi. Just a tiny bit. It washes off, you know."

Aichi moped around the nearly empty main room of the European Circuit building on Wednesday morning. Everybody who was anybody had gotten called in today, for an unscheduled mandatory meeting. It was a badly kept secret that Vanguard was creating a mobile TCG based on current popular players. It was apparently ahead of its expected development, so the tech and promotional teams moved this meeting up to brief the involved players, and get them to sign off. It would be a marathon day of negotiating terms, compensation, promotional schedules, and contracts based on the rollout of Vanguard Zero.

They had made plans to go sightseeing to the Eiffel tower. Aichi scowled. It’s not as though he actually _cared_ about a big hunk of metal, but doing _anything_ with Kai would be better than this. There wasn’t even really anybody around to challenge.

He headed to the wall of vending machines, and just stood there motionless, staring unfocused for a few minutes, lost in thought. He was startled by the rattling thump of a can being dispensed right beside him and stepped quickly aside. “Oh...ah...I-I’m sorry,” he said, and bowed a bit, reflexively.

A slender hand with a perfect nude manicure reached past him to retrieve the beverage. “Oh, honey, you’re even better up close,” a woman’s voice purred. She reached out her other hand to him. He took it, not sure from the angle if he was supposed to kiss it or shake it, so he just held it for a few seconds and then dropped it, awkwardly. The woman was maybe in her forties, with short blond hair shot through with deep pink, twisted up, and pinned in place with a china marker. She was dressed in distressed jeans and a soft pink sweater falling _just so_ from one shoulder, and well-worn scuffed black Louboutins.

“Oh, dear, just look at that blush!” She laughed a bit. “I’m Paulette. I’m the head stylist here, and I’m in the same boat as you, sweetie. Nothing to do because they have all the players locked up in the big meeting room.” Her eyes roved professionally over him, taking in every detail of his sloppy oversized college attire, making him feel like a pinned butterfly on display.

“Oh, uh, nice to meet you! I-I’m…”

“Aichi Sendou, I know, darling. Toshiki Kai’s…. _friend?_ ” she smiled knowingly. “I’ve been itching to get my hands on you, professionally I mean, ever since I watched you win the Asia Circuit championship. So much potential…” she murmured to herself. She reached toward his face and paused. “May I?”

As Aichi stammered, unsure of what she wanted from him, she grasped his chin firmly and turned his face this way and that. She murmured “Mmmmm, that face of yours! Why bury it under all that hair?”

She dropped his chin and nodded decisively. “Ok, we both have the morning free. I’d like to do you. No charge, of course. Kai’s got a huge budget banked because he never lets me touch him.” She scowled. “Maybe after I clean you up, he’ll change his mind.”

Aichi turned crimson. “Oh...ah...I don’t think…”

“Nope, cutie. They won’t be out of their meetings until late afternoon. Not taking no for an answer. Hair first, then manicure, maybe facial, then clothes. Grab yourself a drink, and let’s be on our way, we have a lot to do.”

*****************

Kai sat in the big conference room, bored out of his mind. His attention wandered back to the bank of black and white monitors on the wall with feeds of the common areas. His eyes narrowed. Where did Aichi wander off to? He had just been by the vending machines a moment ago. 

The promotional VP called out “Mr. Kai? Any thoughts on your avatar?” He dragged his attention back to the informational packet before him and sighed. It was going to be a long day.

****************

Aichi spent the morning full of anxiety and misgiving. Should he have allowed himself to be led away into this foreign world of primping and grooming and boutiques? It was more jarring than the day he had first stepped onto campus in America. Paulette, as good as her word, didn’t let him out of her sight. _She_ seemed to be having a fantastic time.

They were at an early lunch now, at a little cafe patio a few streets away from the E.C. building. At Paulette’s urging, he had merely texted Kai that he was out shopping and at lunch with a friend. “Just leave it at that, darling. We’ll surprise him later.” She was good company, knowing an astounding amount about all of Vanguard’s major players from the last few years. She was something of a superfan yet had no interest in playing.

“Sweetie, I was rooting for you so hard, back in the Asia tournament! I just thought you were adorable! I was so sorry when you took your win and left the circuit. I never in my wildest dreams thought you’d end up here, with Toshiki Kai, and that I’d be able to get my hands on you!” Paulette beamed at him. “Just look at you!”

Aichi’s face had been cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturized until it glowed. He squirmed as he recalled the indignity of having his eyebrows shaped. He had adamantly refused colored nail polish, but she insisted on a clear mani-pedi “just to clean you up, sweetie. It’s all in the details.” 

He was worried about the hair. It had been mostly the same for pretty much his whole life. She had the stylist take the back shorter than it ever had been, tapered down to his neck, but left his top and front just as long and messy as ever, signature cowlick intact, just a bit more styled. He ran his hand again over the short hair at the back of his neck. He felt _naked._

She clapped her hands twice as they finished lunch. “Ok, time to shop!” and dragged him off again.

*******************

The conference room was full, overcrowded with people milling about during a short break, as they reset the room into smaller workstations. Kai had missed Aichi earlier at his lunch break, wondering who the new friend was that he had gone off with. 

They were finished with the presentations and discussion. All that was left was to break apart to negotiate individual contracts and sign papers. Kai was notorious for agreeing to as little as he could get away with. He had never wanted his image splashed around as one of the faces of the league, so his contract was usually littered with crossed-out passages and additional corollaries. They usually left him till last because he was... problematic.

He joined Gaillard over by the monitors to peruse the main floor again.

Gaillard pointed at one and huffed a laugh. “Looks like Paulette got her hands on a cute little twink.”

Kai stared into the monitor at the slim boyish silhouette at Paulette’s side. He felt a sudden twinge of _want_ , low in his belly. His heart stuttered at that, in shock. He had never in his adult life been attracted to anyone but Aichi. He watched, mesmerized, as the boy looked down at his steepled fingers, tapping the tips together in nervousness, and realized...

“That’s no twink, that’s Aichi!” he breathed in shock. A few more players wandered over to see what the commotion was. It was getting crowded at the monitor wall.

Gaillard sucked in a breath, speechlessly peering closer, as Kai started moving. He’d be damned if he let Aichi become everybody’s eye candy.

“What do you need me to sign?” he growled as he pushed in front of a cluster of people at his assigned representative’s table.

“Ah, Mr. Kai. We aren’t ready for you, yet...” The woman shuffled papers and pulled out a stack with Toshiki Kai typed at the top.

“Give it to me, I’ll sign as is,” he said impatiently.

Her eyes widened in shock, as she gaped up at him “You...you will…”

“Pen.” he barked out. 

The contracts had little yellow tape tabs on them, signaling where signatures should go. He flipped through, signing each without reading. Near the end, he tore through a page with his pen in his haste. He waited impatiently while the company rep double-checked that all was in order, straightening and stapling them before looking up. “That’s everything, you’re free to…” she trailed off when she realized she was speaking to empty air.

**************

Kai skidded to a halt in front of Paulette and Aichi. Aichi peered up at him through his long bangs, scarlet-faced. Kai studied him. His skin glowed. He was dressed in a thin, tight short-sleeved lavender shirt with a deep vee that showcased his prominent collarbones and porcelain neck. (Kai had started behaving himself, not wanting Aichi to be embarrassed on his trip.) The color set off his huge blue eyes like sapphires. Was that a bit of...eyeliner? Low-slung, tight black jeans hugged his slender form, a chain looping from one of the front tabs into the back pocket. A black choker wrapped his neck, matching the black bracelet around his slender left wrist. Black leather boots completed the look. _He’d gotten thinner away from Shizuka’s cooking at university,_ Kai thought absently, not for the first time. _He needed fattening up._

Kai’s hand came up inadvertently to stroke the stubble of the low fade at the back of Aichi’s neck. Aichi leaned into his touch and shivered, uncertain of Kai’s mood. Kai added his other hand at Aichi’s neck to unhook the choker, reaching over to deposit it into Paulette’s hand without looking at her. 

Paulette was saying...something. He shot her a Look. “Later,” he hissed at her, not sure if he wanted to kiss her or kill her yet. He’d decide later. She smirked victoriously, seeing the heat in his eyes.

Kai said shortly “C’mon,” and slid his hand down his boyfriend’s arm to twine with his fingers. He led the smaller boy swiftly away towards the lounges. He flashed a filthy look up towards the camera, sure they were all enjoying the show upstairs. 

When they got to the Dragon Empire lounge, Kai paused at the door, and said firmly “Out.”

The only two occupants quickly gathered their decks and vacated the room, after one look at Kai’s face.

He pulled Aichi in after him, closing the door, and spinning him around so his back was pushed against it. He stopped to look him up and down again, more leisurely now, eyes smoldering, then suddenly hooked his fingers into Aichi’s belt loops and yanked him forward until their hips collided. Aichi sucked in a sharp breath at the contact.

“I missed you today.” One corner of Kai’s mouth rose in a tiny smirk. “Looks like you kept busy.”

Kai lowered his head and kissed the corner of Aichi’s mouth. “Stay near the door”, he whispered against Aichi’s lips. “Off-camera.”

“Kai-kun… s-so does this mean you like it?” Aichi stammered.

“There isn’t an ‘it,’” Kai chuckled, low pitched. “There’s just you. Always you, Aichi.” 

Aichi’s satisfied smile curved against Kai’s lips as he reached back behind himself to lock the door.

*******************************

_A month and a half later, Kai would see the results of his rushed, unnegotiated contract signing at the rollout of Vanguard Zero. His face appeared on ads, on billboards, on fucking **buses,** as one of the poster boys for the new mobile game. He thought decisively, “Kill her. I’m definitely going to kill Paulette.”_


	21. Hot Pot and Promise Rings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aichi's living in the moment and wants to throw a hot pot party.  
> Kai is looking toward the future.
> 
> Fluff into humor into extreme fluff.

Kai’s consciousness slowly crept in with the welcome scent of… coffee? He cracked an eyelid. A take-out cup from the corner cafe was in his direct line of sight on his bedside table. Confusion swept the cobwebs of sleep from his mind.

He rolled over. The other side of the bed was empty. He gave himself a few moments to wake up, then grabbed the cup and headed into the living room to see what had woken Aichi up so uncharacteristically early.

Aichi was sitting on the floor, bent over the coffee table writing in a workbook. He looked up sunnily. “Good morning, Kai-kun!” He slid a bag of pastries closer toward Kai.

Kai flopped down onto the sofa behind him and pulled his boyfriend back to lean against his legs, dropping a kiss on his head. “Morning, Aichi. Why are _you_ awake so early?” He took an appreciative sip. “Thanks for the coffee… how did the ordering go?” (Aichi knew a sum total of about ten words of French.)

“It was fine. Giselle was there today. I-I might have agreed we could all maybe hang out before I leave?” Kai just closed his eyes and said, “mmmph.”

“I-I couldn’t sleep. Just thinking about having to leave in two days, you know? Preemptive separation anxiety.” Aichi let out a sad chuckle. “I figured I’d work on the advanced English grammar I’ve been avoiding.”

Aichi spoke fluent conversational English, but he would need to be able to use English language textbooks in more advanced classes soon, so his foreign language requirement had been changed to English to aid that.

“You didn’t get enough sleep.” Kai groused, closing his eyes. “If I knew you’d get up so early, I wouldn’t have kept you up so late.”

Aichi twisted around and laid a kiss on Kai’s chin. “I _like_ when you keep me up,” he blushed and buried his face in Kai’s chest. 

Kai stroked his back, feeling the gentle ridges of his spine. “I was thinking yesterday that you’re too skinny. I’ll cook you anything you want today. Fatten you up.”

“Really?” Aichi pulled back, eyes shining, excitedly. “Could we have cupcakes… chocolate ones? And that crusty bread you make? And— and could we have a hotpot party? Can we get the stuff for that here?”

Kai cracked one eyelid open incredulously. “A hotpot party? In France? In March?”

“Yeah! Aichi said excitedly. “It’ll be more fun than going to a noisy bar with everybody, and we _did_ say we would hang with Jaime and Miguel again before I left. I haven’t had hot pot in… I don’t know, ages!”

Kai sighed and closed his eyes again. “None of those things even go together. You’re lucky I like you.”

**************************

They spent the morning shopping. Kai took him to an Asian market on the other side of town, then to his usual supermarket, closer to the apartment. By the time they staggered back under the weight of their purchases, it was already noon. They ate hastily assembled sandwiches, and got down to business.

Bread first, as it took the longest. Aichi wanted to help, so he was wrapped up in an overlarge apron. Kai soon learned why Shizuka had largely banned him from her kitchen except for clean-up duties.

His elbow hit the bowl where the yeast was dissolving, and they had to start over after it slopped all over the counter.

Kai then tasked him with measuring the dry ingredients, figuring he’d be good at it because he was math-y, but he set the measuring cup down too hard and the flour billowed up in a cloud, covering him. Aichi’s whooping laughter turned to choking as he inhaled it. Kai sat him down on the sofa with a towel and a glass of water, sternly admonishing him to stay put until he was back to normal. “How about you text whoever you want to invite tonight? No sense getting the hot pot ready until we know if anyone is coming.”

Kai worked as fast as he knew how while Aichi was thus occupied.

He came back wanting to help with the cupcakes. After fishing the eggshells out of the bowl Aichi handed him, Kai set him to creaming the butter at the mixer. “All you have to do is use the spatula to push the butter back down into the bowl when it creeps up.” A minute later, there was a “RRRWwwwrrrrrr” noise and the sound of the mixer cutting off. A red-faced Aichi was holding the spatula handle, spluttering in laughter. He had gotten too close to the beaters, and they had jammed when the silicone top got stripped off.

Kai heaved a theatrical sigh and set him up at the end of the counter on a barstool. He eyed him critically, then slid the barstool, with Aichi perched on it, back a few more feet away from his workspace. Aichi couldn’t control his hilarity. Kai said, “I’ll get your English book. If you love me, you’ll just… _stay there._ ”

Kai got into a rhythm without Aichi to interrupt his flow. Now and then he would deposit little morsels in front of him to taste, like the almost-scraped-clean batter bowl and a spoon, cubes of winter melon, the sweet pea pods Kai knew that he liked. Aichi gave up on his work and just watched him in admiration, chin propped in hand. “Kai-kun, you’re so sexy and intense when you cook. It’s almost as good as watching you card fight when you get all crazy.” He giggled.

Kai shot him a quelling look. “Behave, Sendou. If you got what you’re asking for, I’d never finish making your dinner.”

***********************************

Gaillard and Neve were very early to arrive; Gaillard rightly protesting that it was okay because he lived there. He set up numerous bottles of wine in precise places in the fridge and on the counter, optimal decanting temperatures depending on some formula known only to the Frenchman. The two friends started in right away on the cheeseboard and cabernet, sprawling familiarly and comfortably out in the living room.

Aichi got out his phone, and they argued good-naturedly about whose playlists should be heard first.

“Hey, Aichi, did you lose a fight with a bag of flour?” Neve asked. “You are covered with it!”

Aichi went into his room to change, coming out in another one of the new outfits that Paulette had picked out for him. This one was dark-washed jeans and a thin short-sleeved gold shirt. “Mon Dieu, Aichi! Paulette really must have enjoyed dressing you! How many outfits did you get? You don’t even belong to the circuit!” Gaillard huffed a laugh as he looked him over. “Looking good, mon ami.”

Kai was relaxed, but whether he was talking, listening, eating, or drinking, his eyes never left off following Aichi’s lithe form flitting around the apartment.

Jaime arrived with Miguel soon after, bringing two bottles of sangria, and a large sweet-smelling flan for dessert. “Mis amigos!” He exclaimed, bouncing in, “Gracias for having us!” He ruffled Aichi’s hair. “I like the new look!”

Shortly after, Giselle and Emma from the cafe arrived, bringing another girl they worked with that Aichi had not yet met. It was the first time they had been to the apartment despite angling for an invitation for a while now. They brought pastries from the shop, which were added to the designated dessert area of the kitchen counter.

Everyone got settled, squished around the coffee table, technically a bit too close for mere acquaintances. By the open flirting going on, some of them might be more than that when the night was over.

The doorbell rang once more, revealing the Serbian National champion, looking a little ill-at-ease, and holding a bouquet of lilacs. Aichi hugged her. “Teodora! I’m glad you could make it!” 

She beamed. “Aichi.” She grabbed his hand and continuously shook it. “Thank you, Aichi.”

Kai just smiled to himself as he took in the exchange. Aichi pulled everyone he met into his gravitational orbit like a cheerful black hole. He got up to assemble the ingredients for the hot pot on the electric burner set up on the oversized coffee table. It would be cramped, but it would work. The way they were all drinking, it didn’t matter how fast he got food into them, they were doomed.

**************************

Two hours later, and the gathering had devolved into a full-blown party. Aichi had somehow managed, by accident or design, to invite matching numbers of males and females, and they had all paired off. The wine kept flowing, and the volume got louder. A flushed Aichi had his head together with Miguel and Teodora, giggling over some sort of translation app that he was showing them both how to download. _I’d better cut him off._ Kai thought, a bit exasperated. He still had plans for him tonight. 

A scream rang out as a tiny squirrel ran across the table. “Neve!” Kai yelled. “I told you not to bring your foundlings here after last time!”

“Sorry, Kai. I still have to bottle feed her. I thought she’d sleep all night in my pocket.” His cafe girl snuggled up to him, oohing and ahhing over the rodent he had just scooped up.

Kai caught Aichi’s eye and beckoned him into the kitchen. He caught the smaller boy around the waist, and whispered into his ear “How much have you had to drink, Aichi? Still testing your limits?”

Aichi laughed. “I’m okay. I mostly carried my glass around so they couldn’t refill it. I think…?”

Kai snorted. _Not quite accurate._ “You wanna sneak out of here for a while? Bundle up.” 

They walked a few blocks, hand in hand, Aichi content to go wherever Kai led. He was further gone than he had admitted to Kai and thought fuzzily that they might be headed finally to the effing Eiffel Tower. _F-F-F alliteration_ , just like his grammar book. He started giggling.

He blinked as they finally stopped at a small side door of a massive imposing ornate brick and stone building. Not the Eiffel Tower then. Kai had been texting someone on his phone for the past few minutes but Aichi hadn’t been paying attention, just happy to walk with Kai in silence after the heat and noise of the apartment. A moment later an inside lock clinked and the door squeaked open. Kai took his hand and led him up an endless amount of stairs. He felt like he was stuck in one of those dreams where you just kept climbing but never got to the top.

Finally, Kai propped him against a wall to catch his breath and spoke in low tones to whoever had guided them up here. The person left and Kai turned to Aichi. “I called in a favor. We have about an hour before she comes back for us.”

“Where… where _are_ we even?” Aichi asked.

Kai led him over to an exterior door and then through it. “The Observatory of the Sorbonne. I didn’t think you cared about the usual tourist traps, and I know how much you like your stars…”

Aichi sucked in a breath. He instantly sobered up. They were on a narrow balcony well over 100 feet above the ground. The whole of Paris, city of lights, spread out before him. It was a clear night and the whole of the heavens soared above him. “Kai…” he whispered, spellbound. He felt for Kai’s hand and clutched it hard without looking away from the view. 

“If we go up one floor, there’s a telescope you can use, too, if you’re up to...” Kai trailed off as he took in the wonderstruck expression on Aichi’s face. “So… you like it?”

“It’s… it’s… everything…” he breathed. Aichi took in the skyscape with wide eyes, bangs fluttering across his forehead in the breeze. Kai just watched him, heart in his eyes.

A few moments later, he fumbled in his jacket pocket, pulling out a small box. When he spoke, his voice was uncertain.

“Aichi… I have a gift for you. I-I hope you like it. When we’re apart, I just want you to have a reminder that I’ll always be with you again soon.” He opened it to reveal a titanium ring band, inset with two small square stones next to each other, one sapphire, one emerald. 

Aichi sucked in a breath and reached out to pick it up with a shaking hand.

“I have a matching one. It-it’s a promise ring. If you don't want to wear it, you don't have to." Aichi’s wide eyes shot to Kai’s. “I think it’s supposed to be our birthstones, but those colors didn’t make sense to me, so I picked these.” He knew he was crimson and babbling and hated that, but couldn’t stop in his nervousness. “Sapphire for your eyes, and emerald for mine. We just spent so much time looking into each other’s, even in the early days I just thought….”

“Stop,” Aichi whispered and put his fingertips against Kai’s lips to stop the stream of words.

He held it up to peer at it in the dim light. “Is that a date with our names inside?”

Kai pulled Aichi’s fingers away from his mouth and said in a low voice “Yes, it’s the day we met at Card Capital the first time. I know it took a long time to get here, but it was the very beginning...of-of us. I thought, maybe we could use it as our anniversary?”

Aichi dropped his head, closing his fist around the ring and bringing it up to his mouth, motionless.

“Aichi?”

Tears dripped onto Aichi’s hand. “It’s perfect, Toshiki. Perfect. It’s … everything.”

******************

It was well after midnight when they finally arrived back at the apartment. All was quiet as Kai unlocked the door, and guided a nearly dead-on-his-feet Aichi into the darkened kitchen. Gaillard was outlined in the light from the fridge, frozen, with a milk carton at his lips.

“ _Dammit_ , Gaillard, I knew you drank straight from the carton.” Kai thwapped him upside the head.

“ **Ow!** _Hush._ Everybody still here is asleep. Jaime and Miguel went back to his place with the other girls. Giselle is in my bed and Neve and Emma are on the couch. My advice: do _not_ look directly at the couch.”

They watched Aichi who had found the very last chocolate cupcake and was hiding it in the spice cabinet. “That’s mine...” he murmured, as he swayed a bit on his feet.

“What did you do to Aichi?”

Kai got Aichi’s coat off and gave him a soft sweet kiss. “I’ll see you in a minute, Aichi.” He got a bottled water from the fridge and put it into his hand, giving him a small push to get him moving toward his bedroom before turning towards Gaillard. “ We went to the Astronomy Tower at the Sorbonne. He’s exhausted. And probably still a little tipsy.”

Aichi glanced back at them near the doorway to murmur, “ ‘Night, Gaillard.” He yawned as he turned, putting a hand up to stifle it, and the low light threw a blue-green glint off of his ring.

Gaillard sucked in a shocked breath and whirled to face Kai. “Was that…?”

Kai held up his hand to display his matching ring. He managed to keep his smirk infinitesimal. “Just promise rings… _for now_. Goodnight Olivier.”

Gaillard stared at his retreating back in astonishment “Merde! You sneaky, secretive… _romantic_ bastard!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Ren woke with a jolt and clutched at his chest. His mind tried to parse what he was feeling. A flood of pure emotion washed through him, stronger than any that had come before. Ah...a Psyqualia ping, off the charts. He checked his phone, doing a quick calculation. It would be 11 p.m. in Paris, now.  
>  Love, excitement, and pure unadulterated joy.....  
> He sat up, still rubbing his chest over his heart.  
> A Cheshire grin slowly curved his lips.  
> "Oh Kai, now **what** do you do to provoke **that**...?_"

**Author's Note:**

> I know some of you are coming from the mobile game or the reboot, but if you haven't watched the OG anime YOU'RE MISSING EVERYTHING!!!!
> 
> Copy-paste this youtube link to watch. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZaz0lCoygozixdwhvvoVhGKgn2xlYQrO
> 
> I promise you will not be sorry. The OG show makes a lot of the fics on here sooooo much better.


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